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#NE Soman's Mission, 



HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 



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REV. A^ Nr ARNOLD, D. D., 

PROFESSOR IN THE BAPTIST UNION THEOLOGICAL 
SEMINARY, CHICAGO, ILL. 



BOSTON: 

HENRY A. YOXJI^GS- &c CO., 

No. 24 CORNHILL. 

1871. 



A 



^!jli^A 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, 

By henry a. young & CO., 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry, 
No. 19 Spring Lane. 



I 



TO 

CHRISTIAN WOMEN, 

W£0 WISH TO BE USEFUL, 

AND ABE ASKING, 

^'forir, fe^al failt %u \^t me to ^0?*' 

THIS LITTLE BOOK 
IS EESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 



ttEfJt^B, 



After the compiler of this little volume 
had consented to undertake the work of 
preparing it, two difficulties, which he had 
not foreseen, arose to embarrass the ade- 
quate execution of his task. The first was, 
the scantiness of the materials. Some of 
the most important portions of Mrs. Dick- 
son's extensive correspondence, especially 
two entire series of letters, — the one ad- 
dressed to her former pastor, the late Chris- 
topher Anderson, D. D., of Edinburgh, and 
the other to a niece now in Australia, — 
could not be obtained. The first of these 

5 



6 PREFACE. 

probably contained a fuller account of her 
inner Christian life than any other portion 
of her correspondence ; and the second 
probably recorded more of the incidents of 
her daily life in a foreign land. The other 
difficulty arose out of unexpected changes 
in the compiler's professional relations and 
engagements, whereby new labors and re- 
sponsibilities were devolved upon him, mak- 
ing it more difficult than before to give the 
requisite time and attention to the work 
which he had undertaken. He makes these 
statements partly in justice to himself, but 
much more as due to her, whose work of 
faith, and labor of love, and patience of 
hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, are here so 
imperfectly commemorated. He hopes, how- 
ever, that this little book, notwithstanding 
the defects which the circumstances above 
named have rendered unavoidable, will not 
only be acceptable to the many friends of 



PREFACE. 7 

the late Mrs. D., — who were not willing 
that such a life should be left without some 
record more full and permanent than per- 
sonal and fading recollections, — but will 
also exert some influence in awakening in 
the minds of other Christian women the 
desire and purpose to make their lives more 
fruitful in the service of the Master, and in 
usefulness to mankind. In this hope the 
compiler commits his work to the gracious 
blessing of the God of missions. 

A. N. Arnold. 

Chicago, July 15, 1871. 



NOTE. 

The compiler hereby gratefully acknowl- 
edges his obligation to those friends of the 
late Mrs. Dickson, both in this country and 
in Great Britain, who have placed at his 
disposal the letters which she wrote to 
them. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 

1789-1827. 

PAGE 

Birth and early Life. — Religious Experience. — 
Teaching in Haddington. — Adoption of Baptist 
Principles. — Removal to Edinburgh, and Teaching 
there. -^ Interest in Missions. — Marriage. — De- 
parture for the Ionian Islands 13 



CHAPTER II. 

1827-1836. 

Establishment in Cephalonia. — Birth of a Son. — 
Removal to Argostoli, and thence to Zante. — 
Success of the School. — A sad and sudden Re- 
verse. — They set out on a Visit to their native 
Land. — Mr. D.'s Illness. — Presentiment of Evil. 
— Mr. Dickson's Death at Leghorn. — Kindness 
and Sympathy of Strangers. — Mrs. D. returns to 
Zante 25 

9 



10 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER III. 

1836-1842. 

PAIrE 

Kind Reception in Zante. — Removal to Corfu. — 
Mrs. D. becomes connected with the American 
Baptist Board of Foreign Missions. — Visit to Eng- 
land and Scotland. — Leaves her Son at School in 
Scotland. — Favorable Opening of her School in 
Corfu. — Arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Buel. — Jew- 
esses. — A violent Outbreak of Fanaticism. — De- 
parture of Mr. and Mrs. Buel. — Baptisms. — Mr. 
and Mrs. Love leave for America 60 

CHAPTER IV. 

1843-1845. 

Persecution of the Greek Converts. — Sickness, apd 
repeated dangerous Accidents. — A fatal Epidemic 
and a blighted Hope. — Arrival of Mr. and Mrs. 
Arnold and Miss Waldo. — Excitement resulting 
from a Baptism. — Visit to England and Scotland. 
— Mrs. D.'s Son goes to America. — Interest in 
England and Scotland in behalf of the Jews in 
Corfu. — Bread cast upon the Waters found after 
many Days. — Return to Corfu. — A penitent old 
Man 90 



CONTENTS. 11 

CHAPTER V. 
1845-1851. 

PAGE 

Sickness and Kecovery. — The Existence of the 
Mission imperilled. — Mrs. D.'s Attachment to her 
Work. — Conversation with a Jewess. — Kepeated 
Sickness. — Tropical Scenery. — A Summer alone. 

— First Baptism in Greece. — Death of Mrs. York. 

— Return of Mrs. D.'s Son to Corfu. — Removal 

of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold to Athens 126 

CHAPTER VI. 

1851-1855. 

The School in Corfu. — Good News from former 
Pupils. — Fruits of the Mission. — Views of Heaven. 
— Welcome Visits from America. — Visit to Athens. 

— Memoir of Mrs. York. — Reluctance to write to 
Strangers. — Humility. — Love for close Preaching. 

— Anxiety for the Conversion of her Son. — Pros- 
perity of the School. — War and Cholera. — Mar- 
riage and Baptism of her Son. — A happy Visit. — 
Breaking up of the Mission 162 



12 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1855-1860. 

PAGE 

Visit to England and Scotland. — Kindness and Lib- 
erality of Christian Friends. — The School saved. 
— Death of Mrs. Ellen Dickson. — Unwillingness 
to give up the School in Corfu. — Death of a pious 
little Girl. — xln honest Greek Boy. — Mr. Dick- 
son's Marriage with Miss Barton. — Removal to 
Athens. — The closing Scene. — Conclusion. . . 224 



APPENDIX. 

Account of several of Mrs. Dickson's earlier Schol- 
ars , * .... 255 



^^^jMM%4i,A4y^^ ^ 




CHAPTER I. 

EARLY LIFE IN SCOTLAND, 

'ENEIETTA EMILAY was born in 
Haddington, Scotland, October 3, 
1789. The only particulars of her 
early life, which are known to be on record, 
are contained in a letter which she wrote 
to the Eev. Solomon Peck, D. D., dated 
January 1, 1839. When she was about 
fifteen years of age, she was sent to reside 
for some months with an aunt, who was 
the widow of a Presbyterian minister. Here 

13 



14 ONE woman's mission, 

she became acquainted with religious people, 
and was brought under the faithful preach- 
ing of the word. After a time, she ap- 
plied to the minister for admission into his 
church. He was a godly man ; and the 
questions which he put to her in regard to 
her religious experience were so discrimi- 
nating and pointed, that her self-confidence 
was shaken, and she came to feel, for the 
first time, that she was a very great sin- 
ner. ''In the course of a few hours," she 
writes, "an entire revolution took place in 
my feelings and views. The sins of my 
childhood and youth rushed upon my mind. 
I had offended God, and knew not how 
such a holy and just Being could be rec- 
onciled. I began by trying to better my- 
self, and carried my pharisaical strictness 
so far as to be afraid of looking on this 
side or on that, lest I should take in ob- 
jects of sin. I returned to my father's 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 15 

house changed in appearance, but not re- 
newed. All my attempts to better myself 
were felt to be vain. I saw that my best 
services were inexpressibly loathsome in the 
sight of God. Could I then have seen that 
Jesus was exalted a Prince and a Saviour to 
give repentance and remission of sins to the 
most unworthy, the struggle might soon 
have been over ; but I had no one to guide 
me, no one to whom I could tell my case. 
Night after night was spent alone in weeping 
and wailing over my hopeless case. I was 
afraid to go to sleep, lest I should awake in 
endless torments. "* After a night of deep 
anxiety and bitter conflict, I tried to cast 
my helpless soul upon God, when these 
words fell sweetly upon my mind : ' I will 
bring the blind by a way that the}^ knew 
not ; I will lead them in paths that they 
have not known ; I will make darkness light 
before them, and crooked things straight: 



16 ONE woman's mission, 

these things will I do unto them, and not 
forsake them.' (Isa. xlii. 16.) My soul was 
at once dissolved in tenderness and love to 
that benevolent Being who could care for 
such a worthless worm as I felt myself to 
be. It may seem strange that a passage of 
Scripture that has no reference to the char- 
acter or work of the Saviour should give 
relief to a mind burdened with sin ; but to 
one who felt herself to be an outcast and 
lost, the care of God appeared an infinite 
mercy. The enmity was slain. The Bible 
was read with great delight. In its sacred 
pages I saw more clearly, in the life and 
death of Jesus, how God could be just, and 
the justifier of the ungodly; and I rejoiced 
with exceeding great joy. Now my inquiry 
Avas, ^Lord, what wilt thou have me to 
do?' How shall I show forth the praises of 
Him who hath called me out of darkness 
into his marvellous light?" 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 17 

She immediately began to teach a few 
children in her father's house. This begin- 
ning, unpretending and without plan, soon 
grew into a large school, which she taught 
successfully for many years. 

For the first few years of her religious 
experience, she walked alone : none of her 
former companions took up the cross, and 
she had relinquished them all, thinking that 
her duty lay in retirement. "But I was 
roused from this mistaken idea," she writes, 
" by the application of these words : ^ What 
do ye more than others ? ' These words 
sounded in my ears in the way of reproof. 
I felt that I had not been faithful to souls. I 
invited my dear pupils to come on Lord's 
days, and commenced a Sabbath school. 
Here I had great enjoyment and delightful 
freedom in directing them to the Saviour. 
One or two lambs were brought into the 
fold, and some others have followed since. 
2 



18 ONE woman's mission, 

I visited the sick more regularly, and took 
opportunities of introducing the subject of 
religion to some of my former companions. 
They became interested. One dear young 
lady gave up all for Christ. I walked no 
longer alone. We agreed to meet for prayer 
for our relations. She had the happiness of 
seeing her three sisters take upon them the 
yoke of Jesus. These were delightful days : 
seasons of communion with God in prayer 
refreshed and invigorated our souls.* 

"When Bible and missionary societies 
were established among us, I entered warmly 
into their claims, and became a collector. 
Many of my pupils followed the example, 
and the school became a little missionary 
society. It was while listening with rapt 
attention to the addresses delivered on the 
anniversaries of these societies that the first 

♦ See, in the Appendix, an account of some of these 
youthful converts. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 19 

desire sprang up of entering the missionary 
field, and using my feeble endeavors to be 
useful to the heathen. 1 was aware that, if 
this desire, kindled at first under the bright 
glow of animated description, had no other 
foundation than what was derived from the 
circumstances under which it first manifested 
itself, it would soon evaporate ; but I like- 
wise knew that, if the desire was from God, 
he could be at no loss for means to accom- 
plish it. In the mean time I went on study- 
ing the Scriptures, trying to discover the 
path of duty, when a new and interesting 
object struck my mind. 

"A pious friend had casually dropped a 
hint on the subject of baptism, and of the 
duty of Christians to examine it for them- 
selves. I took up the subject, and resolved 
to follow it out. But here I must confess I 
was unwilling to admit the truth, and hesi- 
tated a long time after I saw that infant 



20 ONE woman's mission, 

sprinkling was untenable. But that time of 
hesitation was a time of discomfort and 
darkness. This continued until I gave my- 
self up to be guided simply by the Scrip- 
tures of truth ; but no sooner had I done 
this than light and peace took possession of 
my mind, a sweet sense of forgiving love 
was imparted, and all th^ apprehensions of 
opposition, scorn, and mockery dwindled 
into nothing. I said, 'I will go in the 
strength of the Lord, making mention of 
his righteousness, even of his only.' 

'^ Just at this time I received a letter con- 
taining a pressing invitation to take charge 
of a boarding-school in Edinburgh. I did 
not deliberate long about accepting this situ- 
ation. I thought I saw the finger of God 
pointing out the way in which I could follow 
Jesus more fully. There being no Baptist 
church in Haddington, my native place, I 
gladly undertook this laborious and respou- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 21 

sible situation, that I might have the high 
privilege of unitiug myself with the people 
of God, and showing my attachment to the 
blessed Saviour by doing his command- 
ments. 

'' I took leave of my dear school, and of 
my father's house, under an impressive sense 
of duty. Much regret was expressed at 
parting, and some efforts were made to de- 
tain me ; but I had taken my resolution, and 
soon found, to my inexpressible joy, that it 
was no vain thing to serve the Lord. I was 
soon after baptized by the Eev. Christopher 
Anderson, and added to the church assem- 
bling in Charlotte Street, Edinburgh.* I 
have ever considered this transaction as one 
of the most delightful and interesting of my 

* This was in the year 1825, probably in the spring of 
that year. She commenced teaching in Haddington when 
she was about seventeen years of age ; so that she must 
have taught there eighteen or nineteen years before re- 
moving to Edinburgh. 



22 ONE woman's mission, 

life. I had reason to bless God for leading 
me to Edinburgh. Several of the young 
persons that formed the establishment were 
happily converted, and added to the church." 

The boarding school to which she here 
refers was at Dairy, near Edinburgh, and 
was under the patronage of Lady Carnegie. 

Notwithstanding the enjoyment which she 
found in her new privileges in Edinburgh, 
there was one earnest aspiration which for- 
bade her soul to find rest until it was satis- 
fied. After she had been about two years in 
Edinburgh, a number of ladies there formed 
themselves into a society for the purpose of 
sending female teachers to Greece. She 
offered her services to this society, and was 
accepted. 

On the 5th of March, 1827, she was mar- 
ried to Mr. George Dickson, a member of 
the Rev. Mr. Anderson's church, and a 
sharer in her missionary zeal. But as the 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 23 

society above mentioned, being composed 
of different denominations, hesitated about 
sending out Baptists, the connection which 
she had formed with them was finally dis- 
solved. But this change did not abate in 
any degree her missionary zeal, nor even 
change its direction. 

"After much consultation with my hus- 
band," she writes, " and many prayers to our 
heavenly Father for direction, we agreed to 
go abroad on our own account, and trust to 
Divine Providence for our future support. 
By some this was considered a bold step ; 
but such was my conviction of duty, that 
nothing intimidated me, or at all clouded the 
horizon of my prospects. 

"On the 29th of May, 1827, we bade our 
native shores adieu, and came to London. 
Here we visited many schools, and studied 
the system pursued at the Central School, 
Borough Road. We received letters of com- 



24 ONE woman's mission, 

mendation from some wprthy persons in 
London, and finally took our leave of Eng- 
land in August. Having been mercifully 
preserved through a severe storm, and no 
less providentially kept from becoming the 
prey of pirates, we reached Corfu in safety." 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 25 



CHAPTER n. 



LIFE IN CEPHALONIA AND ZANTE. 



N their arrival in Corfu, Mr. and 




Mrs. Dickson were very kindly 
received by Sir Frederick Adam, 
who was at that time the Lord High Com- 
missioner, or chief representative of the 
British crown in the Ionian Islands. He 
entered warmly into their plans, and prom- 
ised to do everything in his power to favor 
them. They took up their residence in the 
island of Cephalonia, where the surplus rev- 
enues of an old convent were assigned to 
them. This enabled them to take boarders 
on verj^ low terms, and they soon had above 
twenty. During their residence at this 



26 ONE woman's mission, 

place, their only child, Thomas George 
Dickson, was born, August 10, 1828. After 
remaining three years at this convent in the 
country, they removed to Argostoli, the 
principal town in the island, and there 
opened a day school for the poor, at the 
same time continuing their boarding school. 
They soon had more than fifty poor girls 
under their instruction. But in consequence 
of an unfavorable chan2:e in the native de- 
partment of the government, their educa- 
tional efforts were obstructed, and they were 
deprived of the revenues of the convent.* 
They were thus thrown entirely upon their 
own resources for support ; and, as they had 

* The local government of the Ionian Islands at that 
time was of a complex nature, its powers and responsi- 
bilities being divided, in each island, between a native 
magistrate and a representative of the British crown, or 
rather of the Lord High Commissioner. The former of 
these magistrates bore the title of Regent, the latter that 
of Resident. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 27 

no missionary or educational society to look 
to for assistance, their faith in the providing 
care of their heavenly Father was put to the 
test. But that faith did not fail ; and He 
in whom they trusted soon brought them 
help. 

Mr. Dickson was appointed teacher of 
English in the public school of the neighbor- 
ing island of Zante. 

" When we came to Zante," Mrs. D. 
writes, "we found a flourishing girls' school, 
established by a missionary who had re- 
cently left ; and another was established soon 
after our arrival. These schools continued 
to prosper. A considerable number of 
scholars came on Lord's days for religious 
instruction : they committed to memory pas- 
sages of Scripture, and readily answered 
questions proposed to them. Thus our 
hopes of future usefulness brightened." 



28 ONE woman's mission, 

Their missionary work in Zante went on 
undisturbed for five years or more. 

After having been absent from their native 
land about nine years, wishing to see their 
aged parents once more, they obtained from 
the Ionian government leave of absence for 
six months. While they were waiting for a 
suitable opportunity to go by sea, a sudden 
and portentous cloud overshadowed their 
horizon, lately so bright with hope. "An 
examination of the school had taken place, 
and the girls gave such pertinent answers 
to questions, and conducted themselves so 
properly, as greatly to please the company 
present. Mr. D. questioned them on Scrip- 
ture geography, from a map kindly sent us 
by the British and Foreign School Society. 
Their answers to these questions seemed 
greatly to surprise the Bishop and clergy 
who were present ; and from that time they 
seemed to feel alarmed for the religion of 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 29 

the girls, and immediately raised the cry 
of prosel3^tism against Mr. Dickson. To 
make their case more plausible, they se- 
cretly sent a person to borrow a tract on 
idolatry, which they immediately said we 
had been distributing in dozens, in order to 
subvert their religion. After the public 
mind was somewhat excited by these repre- 
sentations, the Bishop and several of his 
clergy came into the school, and hung up a 
picture of the Virgin, and told the native 
teacher to repeat certain prayers before this 
picture, and the scholars to cross themselves 
before it. This was done without our 
knowledge, my husband being at his duties 
in the public school, and I engaged in some 
household affairs. In a short time, how- 
ever, we were made acquainted with what 
had been done. The same evening, we took 
down the picture, and my husband informed 
the Eesident and Regent of the whole affair. 



30 ONE woman's mission, 

They approved of the taking down of the 
picture, and desired Mr. D. to go to the 
Bishop, and tell him that, if he wished a 
picture put up in the school, he must apply 
for permission in a legal way, and not clan- 
destinely force the observance of religious 
rites in a free school. All this appeared 
favorable ; but the enemies of education and 
true religion were not to be so soon silenced. 
They drew up an accusation against my hus- 
band, consisting of three articles, which 
were — distributing heretical books, pre- 
venting the girls from making the sign of 
the cross, and removing the picture. The 
Resident, who had approved ^of the removal 
of the picture, went out of office just at this 
time ; and a stranger was installed in his 
place, who was unacquainted with the cir- 
cumstances of the case, with the language 
of the people, and with us. He was imme- 
diately beset with invectives against us, and 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 31 

the case was made out to be so bad that the 
peace of the island was represented to de- 
pend upon his interposing his authority to 
stop the growing evil. Two days after his 
instalment, when he held his first levee, he 
called Mr. Dickson, and before his accusers 
charged him with interfering with the reli- 
gion of the natives, by trying to induce the 
girls to become proselytes. He ended by 
commanding him, in the most authoritative 
manner, never more to enter the school, or 
in any way to interfere with its management. 
This reproof, under such aggravated circum- 
stances, made a deep impression on my poor 
husband's mind. He felt as if fallen, and 
deprived of a situation of usefulness in a 
place where it seemed the will of God that 
we should reside. Such a reprimand from 
an Englishman to an Englishman, in a com- 
munity of Greeks, soon had the effect of 



32 ONE woman's mission, 

exciting the populace, who hooted and de- 
rided us whenever we went out. 

" Such was the state of things when we 
left Zante, on the 12th of July, 1836, with 
the intention of visiting our native country. 

'^A few days before we left, my husband 
came out of his room one morning, and said 
to me, with much solemnity, ' He that shall 
come will come, and will not tarry.' 

" How little I then understood the mean- 
ing of those words, which in a little more 
than a month afterwards were affectingly 
realized ! 

"My desire of going home by sea was 
overruled by my husband wishing to go to 
Corfu to see the Lord High Commissioner, 
and also by receiving a letter at the same 
time from Miss Anderson, who was to ac- 
company us, saying that she could not 
possibly get ready in time for the vessel 
that was about to sail. Thus it seemed to 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 33 

be the path of duty to go by land, and in 
this view of it I was satisfied : still an un- 
accountable gloom hung over my mind, 
which I could not shake off. I asked my- 
self the reason of this depression, but I 
could find nothing to justify it but the heat 
of the weather. 

^^ We left Zante in company with Mr. and 
Miss Lowndes, who had been there. Miss L. 
on account of her health, and Mr. L. in his 
periodical visits to the schools.* We took 
in Miss Anderson at Cephalonia, on our way 
to Corfu. I At Corfu Mr. Dickson went 

* Rev. Isaac Lowndes resided for about thirty years in 
Corfu, and as Superintendent of Public Schools, mission- 
ary of the London Missionary Society, and agent of the 
British and Foreign. Bible Society, labored faithfully and 
perseveringly for the spiritual good of the islanders. 

t Miss Jane Anderson, a niece of the Rev. Christopher 
Anderson, of Edinburgh, had followed Mrs. Dickson to 
the Ionian Islands, and was at this time engaged in teach- 
ing in Cephalonia. She was of a kindred spirit with Mrs. 
D., and the ties of sacred sympathy and tender friendship 
bound their hearts together. 

3 



34 ONE woman's mission, 

to see the Lord High CoQimissioner, hut 
not no redress. 

" We left Corfu, and on the third day 
reached Ancona, where we had fourteen 
days' quarantine to perform. The hizarelto 
Avas comfortable, and the walking-ground 
commodious, so that our time passed agree- 
ably during our confinement. Still I was 
distressed with apprehensions of some ap- 
proaching trial : for thirteen nights I never 
slept until four in the morning. My dear 
husband, seeing that I was dull, kindly 
said, — 

'' ' How your spirits will rise when you 
ascend the Alps ! ' 

" I gravely answered, — 

*''I do not think any change of place 
will raise my spirits.' 

" During our stay at the lazaretto we had 
leisure for family worship. After family 
prayer one morning, in which he had en- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 35 

gaged with great solemnity, he said to Miss 
Anderson, — 

"'He that shall come will come, and will 
not tarry.' 

" Soon after we left Ancona, he com- 
plained of headache, and suffered extremely 
from the heat. 

"When we reached Bologna, we were 
told that on account of the ravages of the 
cholera we could not proceed, as we had 
intended, either by Milan or through Ger- 
many ; so that we were obliged to retrace 
our steps a little way, and go to Florence, 
where we expected more certain informa- 
tion. 

"On our way to Florence, we stopped 
at a small inn for the night. At this place 
I observed my dear husband laboring under 
mental depression, and seeming alarmed for 
our safety, for which I could see no ade- 
quate cause. I was at a loss to account 



36 ONE woman's mission, 

for his state of raiiid. In my distress, I 
went into a retired corner to seek help 
from on high. While in prayer, my mind 
was soothed by the application of these 
words : ^ The poor committeth himself to 
thee ; thou art the orphan's stay.' Never 
did a poor, helpless creature feel a deeper 
sense of destitution and utter worthless- 
ness than I did at that moment ; and 
never did any such more feelingly rely 
upon a Divine Arm for support. I was 
enabled to cast my all upon God, and to 
commit the unknown future into his hands. 
I rose from my knejgs refreshed, my bur- 
den gone ; and a sweet serenity, strangely 
combined with an awful solemnity, pos- 
sessed my mind. Yet I could but ask 
myself, ^ What have I to do with the latter 
part of this sweet verse? My dear bo}^ is 
not an orphan.' But O, how sweet this 
part of the character of the Great Jehovah 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 37 

has appeared since ! The cloud seemed to 
darken every hour, but when or how it 
was to break I knew not : the sweet convic- 
tion that, happen what would, all was in 
the hands of my Father, supported me. 

" During the journey from Florence to 
Leghorn, where we were to take the 
steamer for Marseilles, my dear husband 
seemed very much depressed, and some- 
what wandering in mind, his pulse quick, 
and his tongue parched. He was very de- 
sirous to go through Pisa, to call on Colonel 
and Mrs. Conyers, as they had been ex- 
ceedingly kind to us when Colonel Conyers 
was Resident of Cephalonia. We called on 
them, and were received with the utmost 
kindness. We reached Leghorn the same 
evening. After tea, as had been our cus- 
tom on the journey when it was possible, 
we had family prayer. My dear husband 
prayed, solemnly, but briefly. It was the 



38 ONE woman's mission, 

last prayer I ever heard from his lips. 
Disease made rapid progress ; delirium and 
fever set ia; and on the 11th of August, 
1836, at Leghorn, he breathed his last. 
This stroke, so unexpected, falling upon 
me in the midst of strangers, with whose 
language I was very imperfectly acquainted, 
made me turn at once to Him, to whom, a 
few evenings before, I had committed my- 
self and my all, for time and eternity; and, 
O, let me record it to the honor of his 
grace and mercy, he heard my cry, he sent 
from above and took me out of great 
waters, so that the flood did not overflow 
the poor creature who had committed her- 
self to him. I felt so strengthened, that 
new energy seemed to be imparted to my 
bodily frame, and so sweetly composed, 
that I was quite equal to the new duties 
that devolved upon me. 1 wept, indeed ; 
but they were not the bitter tears of regret 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 39 

for my loss, so much as the aflfectionate 
effusions of sorrow that I had made it 
necessary for the compassionate Saviour to 
correct me with such a rod. I could but 
kiss the hand that smote. 'Be still, and 
know that I am God/ were the words that 
most powerfully impressed and most effec- 
tually sustained me. 

''About an hour after my dear husband 
died, Miss Anderson and myself were sit- 
ting together, considering what we ought 
to do, as we knew not a single person in 
Leghorn. I wrote a few lines to the Eng- 
lish consul, requesting that he would come 
and advise me how to act. For some 
cause or other, this note was never deliv- 
ered to him ; but in a short time an Eng- 
lish gentleman, of the name of Brown, 
came in, and most feelingly sympathized 
with us. He said, — 

"'I am a countryman of your own. Can 



40 ONE woman's mission, 

I be of any service to you? Command me 
in any way.' 

''I thanked him, and said the first thing 
I wished was to leave a house which had 
been the scene of so much suffering, and 
go to a private lodging, where we could 
remain until an opportunity occurred of 
returning to Zante. I considered it my 
duty to go back there, in order to settle 
our affairs, sell the furniture, &c., prepara- 
tory to returning home. He said, — 

"'I shall get a private lodging for you 
this evening ; and you ought to be very 
thankful that you have so much philosophy 
as to make you so composed.' 

"I interrupted him, and said, — 

'^^O, sir, it is not philosophy: I know 
nothing about philosophy. It is the reli- 
gion of the Son of God which supports 
my mind.' 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 41 

"'Well/ he said, 'religion, or whatever 
it is, it is surprising.' 

''While Mr. Brown was still with us, the 
Eev. Mr. Berry, the clergyman, called. 
His visit was a cordial to my wounded 
soul. He seemed to have a fellow-feeling 
with suffering humanity, and in the most 
tender and soothing manner directed me to 
look to the only source of comfort in the 
hour of trial. During the nine days that 
we remained in Leghorn he visited us 
every day, although his house was in the 
country, kindly inquired after my finances, 
and asked if we were connected with any 
society. I told him that we had come out 
on our own account, with the sole view of 
promoting female education, and that we 
were not connected with any society. In 
one of his visits he brought a lady with 
him, who seemed to partake of the same 
spirit of kind sympathy. Indeed, my feel- 



42 ONE woman's mission, 

iiigs were quite overpowered at the consid- 
eration of the goodness of God in raising 
up friends in a land of strangers, and giv- 
ing them such an interest in our circum- 
stances that they seemed to take pleasure 
in heaping favors upon us. 

" The first Lord's day after his father's 
death, my little boy caught a very severe 
cold, which for a fortnight excited my at- 
tention and interest, and had the useful 
effect of engaging those feelings which too 
keenly dwelt upon my painful bereave- 
ment. 

"After writing letters to my own father, 
and to the father of my deceased husband, 
informing them of the painful event, I was 
anxious to get away from a place which 
might justly be called Marah ; yet the bit- 
ter waters of this place were sweetened 
with many mercies, and especially by the 
gracious promise of Him who says, ^Call 



AXD HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 43 

upon me in the day of trouble, and I will 
deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' 

"Prior to leaving, I wrote a few lines to 
our kind friend Mrs. Conyers, whom we 
had seen only a few days before at Pisa, 
on our way to Leghorn. As soon as she 
had received and read my letter, she said 
to Colonel Conyers, — 

** * Prepare the carriage : I must go and 
see Mrs. Dickson immediately.' 

"He kindly remonstrated, and said, — 

" ^ It is the heat of the day : it is very 
unsafe to ride so many miles at this 
time.' 

"Mrs. C. said, — 

" ' I must go. I cannot think of poor 
Mrs. Dickson in such affliction, and not see 
her.' 

"^Very well,' the colonel replied; ^I 
shall accompany you.' 

" She came, and wept with me, and sat 



44 ONE woman's mission, 

two hours. When her little boy Charles 
came to say that his papa was waiting for 
her, before leaving she put some money 
into my hand, sa} ing, — 

'''This, you know, I intended for your 
little boy. Accept of it : you must need 
money.' * 

" I received it with sweetly grateful feel- 
ings, and these words accompanied it : 
'Goodness and mercy all my life shall 
surely follow me.' 

"'Yes,' I said, 'and I shall dwell in the 
house of the Lord forever,' — ' sweet afflic- 
tion, singing on my way to heaven.' 

"Kind Mr. Brown continued his assidui- 
ties. Not a day passed without a visit 

* This was not the first, stiU less was it the last, of 
this lady's acts of kindness to Mrs. I). Years after, 
when Colonel (then General) Conyers was commander of 
the British forces in Corfu, Mrs. Dickson and her school 
were repeatedly and generously assisted by this benevo- 
lent and excellent lady. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 45 

from him. I wished to leave him some 
trifle of remembrance ; but he said, — 

^^ ' Keep what you have for your dear 
boy.' 

" Seeing a small Bible on the table, he 
said, — 

"^May I ask this?' 

"I said, ' O, certainly; and allow me to 
beg your acceptance of this little New 
Testament, and you will have a book from 
us both.' 

" He took the books, and seemed pleased 
with them. The Lord make them useful 
to his soul ! 

*' We left Leghorn on the 21st of August. 
The weather was intensely hot on the morn- 
ing of our embarking. Mrs. Garland* sent 
a friend to accompany us on board, with 
porters to carry our luggage. She wrote 

* This was the lady mentioned above as having called 
with the Rev. Mr. Berry. 



46 ONE woman's mission, 

a few lines to me, expressed in the most 
kind and tender manner, and begged my 
acceptance of a hundred dollars, as she 
was aware our circumstances required help. 
I was astonished at this new kindness, so 
unexpected. I said to the gentleman who 
brought me the note, ^ I feel that I deserve 
trials ; but, O, I am quite unworthy of 
this.' A flow of feeling prevented my say- 
ing more. The young gentleman was much 
moved. 

"On account of calm, sultry weather, we 
were nine days in reaching Malta. I had 
sujTered much from the heat during the 
voyage. Thomas was still ill, although 
gradually recovering. When we were with- 
in two days' sail of Malta, I was seized 
with ague and fever. The attack was 
sharp, my strength having been previously 
much reduced. The captain, crew, and 
passengers were much alarmed, for fear of 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 47 

being thrown into a forty days' quaran- 
tine on account of my illness. 

^^On the day of our arrival I was rather 
better, and made an eifort to appear on 
deck when the health officer visited the 
ship. We received ^pratique,' and the com- 
pany rejoiced in their liberty. 

" Being quite unacquainted in Malta, I 
took the liberty to address a few lines to 
Mr. Brownell, a missionary there, and ac- 
quainted him with our situation, begging 
him to find us a private lodging for a few 
days, until an opportunity occurred of get- 
ting to Zante. He was laid upon a sick 
bed, and unable to do anything himself; 
but Mrs. Brownell, although she, too, was 
laboring under much weakness through af- 
fection of the heart, exerted herself for 
us, and sent to the vessel Mr. Jefierson, 
an excellent young man, and a Miss Hol- 
lowday, who was in Malta, on her way 



48 ONE woman's mission, 

to establish female schools hi Alexandria. 
These kind friends brought us on shore to 
a most comfortable lodging prepared for 
us by the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. 
Brownell, m the Mission House. The ex- 
ertion I had made in getting on shore 
brought back the fever, which continued 
to distress me for eight or ten days. 
Afterwards, however, I got quite well, and 
was much refreshed in spirit in attending 
the public ordinances of God's house. My 
little boy, too, quite recovered his health 
in Malta, and during our stay there I sent 
him to school with Mr. Brownell's little 
boy. 

"A pleasing incident occurred, which 
tended to comfort us not a little. The 
steamer had arrived from Alexandria, and 
brought, with other passengers, Dr. White- 
ly. a dear Christian brother from Beyrout. 
After he had performed quarantine, we en- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT, 49 

joyed his society almost daily, and were 
much comforted with his spirituality, hu- 
mility, and meekness. One evening, when 
we were conversing together, he took me 
aside, and said, kindly, ' You must be in 
want of money ; allow me to give you a 
little, which I have brought with me for 
that purpose.' I said to him, 'No, my 
brother ; I am in want of nothing. God 
has supplied all my wants through the 
kindness of friends at Leghorn, and I feel 
satisfied that ere we need more, God will 
provide.' " 

At length, after all these delays, Mrs. 
Dickson and her son reached Zante, about 
three months from the time of their de- 
parture from that island. 
4 



50 ONE woman's mission, 



CHAPTER III. 



COMMENCEMENT OF SCHOOL IN CORFU. 




|N her return to Zante, Mrs. Dick- 
son was received with much kind- 
ness. The story of her heavy 
affliction seemed to have softened the hearts 
of some who had before been most bitterly 
opposed. Several of the parents called to 
express their sympathy. The E-egent, who 
had been Mr. Dickson's chief accuser, came 
and expressed his deep regret, and demon- 
strated the sincerity of this expression by 
other more practical exhibitions of kind- 
ness. " But there was nothing that sur- 
prised me so much," she writes, '^ as the 
circumstance that, as our arrival was known, 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 51 

numbers came aud bought our books, so 
that duric«r the winter in which we re- 

o 

maiued in Zante more were sold than in 
the whole previous year. This made me 
conclude that the opposition shown had 
arisen chiefly among the clergy, not the 
people. 

"After I had disposed of the furniture, 
&c., and only waited for a vessel to re- 
turn to Scotland, Sir Howard Douglass, 
the Lord High Commissioner, visited Zante. 
When he heard that I was about to leave 
the islands, he sent to say, that if I would 
remain and teach, he would establish a 
school in Lixuri, the second town in Ceph- 
alonia, containing seven thousand inhab- 
itants, where he thought I might be com- 
fortable and useful. I did not feel at 
liberty to reject this off*er, as it did not 
seem to be the will of God that I should 
leave this country : on the contrar}^ I felt 



52 ONE woman's mission, 

it to be my duty to remain,, aud endeavor 
to be useful in any way that God in his 
providence might point out. 

"Tlie school at Lixuri was not estab- 
lished. The Senate could not agree about 
the requisite funds, and the Lixuriotes 
themselves intimated that they did not wish 
a Protestant to open a school for their 
daughters. This I never regretted, as I 
could not have taught a school where the 
Scriptures were prohibited." 

Early in the spring of 1837 Mrs. Dick- 
son came to Corfu, where the Ionian gov- 
ernment offered to give her a salary of 
forty pounds per annum if she would assist 
in the Government Ladies Boarding School. 
She accepted this offer; and it was here 
that the Rev. H. T. Love, missionary of 
the American Baptist Board of Foreign 
Missions, found her, when he visited Corfu 
in 1838. Mr. Love made her acquaintance, 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 53 

became much interested in the story of 
her missionary labors and trials, and pro- 
posed to her to enter into the service of 
the Am. Bap. Board. One principal rea- 
son why she and her husband had pre- 
ferred to work independently of the pat- 
ronage of any society, was, in order that 
they might be untrammelled in expressing 
and carrying out their conscientious con- 
victions as Baptists. This new proppsal 
was attended by no embarrassing conditions 
or restraints in this respect ; and Mrs. Dick- 
son was therefore disposed to give it a 
favorable consideration. Her feelings in 
regard to it are expressed in a letter which 
she wrote to Dr. Peck, the Secretary of 
the Board, under date January 1, 1839. 

"I have been here," she says, "nearly 
two years ; but I never considered the sit- 
uation in any other point of view than as 
preparatory to something else. I have fre- 



54 ONE woman's mission, 

(jiiently and earnestly besought God that 
he would open up my way, and show me 
the path in which lie would have me to 
go — the path in which I could serve him 
more conscientiously, in which I could, 
without being shackled, communicate in- 
struction on which the divine blessino: mi^rht 
rest. This communication, reverend sir, I 
have made not without fervent prayer for 
divine direction. I forward it with re- 
peated supplications to the God of all grace, 
that the Board may be guided in their de- 
cision by that wisdom which cometh from 
above. Feeling my own sinfulness, and 
unfitness for any duty, I should tremble at 
the thought of entering the missionary field, 
if I did not recollect who has said, ^My 
grace is sufficient for thee,' If accepted 
by the Board, and employed, I know God 
can supply all my need ; but if unforeseen 
circumstances should prevent my being en- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 55 

gaged in a work which of all others is 
dearest to my heart, I shall never cease 
to feel my unspeakable obligations to Him 
who loves me, and gave himself for me. 
His I am, and him I wish to serve." 

In July, 1839, Mrs. Dickson was appoint- 
ed as a missionary teacher by the A. B. B. 
of F. M. She removed to Patras, where 
Messrs. Love and Pasco were then carrying 
on their missionary work. 

The foregoing account of her early reli- 
gious experience and her teaching in Scot- 
land, of her missionary life in Cephalonia 
and Zante, and of the circumstances attend- 
ing and following her husband's death, is 
taken partly from the letter to Dr. Peck 
quoted above, and partly from a paper which 
she wrote shortly after her husband's death. 
These are the only connected narratives from 
her own hand which the compiler of this 
volume has had the advantage of consult- 



56 ONE woman's mission, 

ing. From this point, the incidents of her 
life have to be gleaned from her letters to 
different friends. Her correspondence was 
quite extensive ; but several series of let- 
ters, which would have been most helpful 
in compiling this narrative of her life and 
labors, have either perished or gone be- 
yond the compiler's reach. 

Mrs. Dickson entered upon her new work 
in Patras with favorable prospects, and with 
her accustomed zeal. But this was not to 
be the permanent theatre of her labors. 
The climate proved so unfriendly to the 
missionaries, that they were obliged to aban- 
don the station. Mr. and Mrs. Pasco re- 
turned to their native land in the autumn 
of 1839, and in the spring of the following 
year Mr. Love and his family removed with 
Mrs. Dickson to the island of Corfu. 

Before entering upon her work in this 
place, from which she had so lately re- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 57 

moved, she spent nearly a year in England 
and Scotland, leaving her son Thomas, now 
about twelve years old, at school in the lat- 
ter country. Nothing had been definitely 
settled in regard to the precise character of 
her labors in Corfu ; and she thus describes 
her feelings in reference to this uncer- 
tainty : — 

'^I was very anxious, while in England, to 
know what the Lord would have me to do. 
I thought of David's case, who, although the 
Lord had cleared his way to the throne by 
the death of Saul, took no steps to obtain 
it until he inquired of the Lord, and even 
after a gracious answer to his first petition, 
inquired again as to the very spot where he 
was to go. I was encouraged to hope that 
the same God who had directed David to 
Hebron would graciously vouchsafe his di- 
recting mercy to me. I had great liberty 
in spreading this before the Lord, and was 



68 ONE woman's mission, 

conscious of no wish but to follow the indi- 
cations of his providence. In this state of 
mind, Mr. Love's acceptable letter found 
me.'' 

Before she returned to Corfu, she re- 
ceived another letter, containing proposals 
to her to engage again in teaching in the 
Government School in that island. Though 
reluctant to place herself again in a situa- 
tion which she had already found to be 
attended with uncomfortable restraints upon 
her liberty to impart religious instruction, 
she thought it might be her duty to do so, 
for the sake of relieving the Board of a part 
of her support. She arrived in Corfu in 
April, 1841, expecting to divide her labors 
between the Government School and the 
mission. 

Among those who welcomed her, on her 
arrival, were two young ladies, of English 
parentage, who had been members of her 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 59 

Bible class when she had been a teacher 
in the Government School. 

"I was delighted," she says, "to seethe 
progress they had made. With deep in- 
terest and much anxiety, I had watched 
over the first opening of their hearts to 
God. I had seen the silent tear, and 
heard the suppressed sigh ; but I was 
scarcely prepared to see, after an absence 
of a few months, such a development of 
character, such strength of Christian prin- 
ciple, and such a resolution to follow 
Jesus, in a place where all is dissipation, 
vanity, and show. I thanked God, and 
took courage, and blessed the conduct of 
his grace, which had brought our dear 
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Love, here, under 
whose fostering care these tender lambs 
had been nourished and fed. I had no 
sooner arrived, than 1 was asked by both 
these young friends if I would meet with 



60 ONE woman's mission, 

them again as 1 iLsed to do, and explain 
to them the Scriptures. ... It was with 
feelings of no common interest that I com- 
menced again a Bible class for young per- 
sons, composed chiefly of those who had 
regularly attended before I left Corfu. 
Besides this class, I have another for the 
scholars of the Mission School.'' 

Her expectation was not to be realized 
in regard to the renewal of her connec- 
tion with the Government School. The 
reason is thus stated : — 

**0n my arrival here, I was told by 
Mr. Lowndes that there existed serious 
objections to my being employed in the 
Government School. I expressed surprise, 
and wished to know the reasons of these 
objections-. I afterwards learned from Lady 
Douglas's, the wife of the governor, and 
others, that my being connected with the 
Baptist missionaries, and - being myself a 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 61 

Baptist, formed the chief objection. It 
wab sneeringly said in regard to me, ^ Give 
her a Bible, and set her down with a class 
of girls before her ; she will do for that ; 
but we do not want a teacher of that kind.' 
Yes, blessed be God, this is the employ- 
ment my soul delights in, and I rejoice 
in being counted worth}^ to suffer any- 
thing for the blessed truth of the gospel. 
It is a small matter to have our names 
cast out as evil for our adherence to his 
cause. ... I was thus happily set free 
from all trammels in 2:ivino^ reli^rious in- 
struction, and readily and with pleasure 
entered into Mr. Love's proposal of open- 
ing a school in his house. This proposal 
was well received by a number of the par- 
ents of my former pupils, and in fifteen 
days after my arrival I commenced with 
six scholars. These have now increased 



62 ONE woman's mission, 

to fifteen, and the prospect opens wide 
and fair before us." 

In the summer of 1841 the mission 
was strengthened by the arrival of Mr. 
and Mrs. Buel. Mrs. B.'s connection with 
the school, though limited to two hours 
of daily attendance, contributed much to 
increase its respectability und efficiency, 
so that in about two months from the 
time of its commencement the number of 
scholars had increased to forty. Of the 
estimation in which it was held by both 
parents and scholars, and of its happy 
influence upon the 'character of the lat- 
ter, Mrs. D. gives the following illustra- 
tions : — 

" A woman called one day, and said, 
' 1 have heard such accounts of your school 
from some who have their children here, 
that I feel quite impatient to send my 
daughter. I must not lose an hour.' In 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 63 

about half an hour after, her daughter 
came. She was a girl about fourteen 
years of age, and made good progress 
until she was taken sick. Another per- 
son called, leading his little daughter by 
the hand, an intelligent looking girl about 
nine years of age. Her father said he was 
glad of such an opportunity to educate 
his daughter, as she had been rather neg- 
lected. The next day two little girls, sis- 
ters, were absent from school. On in- 
quiry, I found that they had been with- 
drawn in consequence of this girl being 
received. The mother of the sisters told 
me that this little girl was notorious as a 
thief and a liar, and for other bad habits, 
so that she could not allow her children 
to be where she was. I told her that all 
this was unknown to us, and besides, the 
school was intended to be a public bene- 
fit, and 1 could not with propriety send 



64 ONE woman's mission, 

the firirl awav so Um^ as she conducted 
herself well. The next day the two sis- 
ters were sent back ; but in about ten d^ys 
after, somethini^ valuable was stolen out 
of the school, and there was strong evi- 
dence that the reputed thief was the guilty 
one. After talking seriously with the child 
without making any impression, I sent to 
her mother, who soon after called. I stat- 
ed to her simply the circumstances of the 
case, and left her to draw the infer- 
ence. She was evidently distressed, at 
one time weeping, at another vindicating 
her child. I pointed out to her the sol- 
emn responsibility of parents as to the 
kind of education their children re- 
ceived at home. When she rose to go 
away, she said, with much feeling, ' Will 
you turn my daughter out of school ? ' 
I could not in my heart say ' yes : ' 
I rather wished that she might return, and 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 65 

be benefited by religious instruction, and 
steal no more. The mother, finding that 
she had not been altogether repulsed, ven- 
tured to send her daughter back. She 
came as far as the door, but had not cour- 
age to come in : there she stood and wept. 
This she did for three days. I did not 
think it best to^ interfere, as I could not 
invite her back, but allowed the affair to 
take its course. In about a week after, 
her father brought her very early in the 
morning, before any of the children had 
assembled, and even before I had entered 
the school-room. Finding that she had 
been received, he called again at midday, 
and paid her quarter in advance. Since 
then, the improvement of the little girl 
is marked by all. Her respectful con- 
duct, regular attendance, and diligent at- 
tention to her studies, are but parts of 
the change. I was much struck last Sat- 



66 ONE woman's mission, 

urday, while talking on the subject of re- 
ligion to the young scholars, to see Helen's 
eye brighten up, and then again suffused 
with tears. The subject was prayer. I 
said, 'Helen, do you pray?' 'Yes, ma'am.' 
^How often do you pray?' 'Every morn- 
ing and every evening.' 'What do you 
say when you pray?' 'I say, Our Father, 
&c.' 'Have you any sins to be forgiven?' 
' O, yes, ma'am.' This was said with evi- 
dent feeling." 

She adds the following account of her 
manner of opening the school : — 

"When we assemble in the morning, I 
open the school with prayer ; then we read 
a chapter. All that can read are inchided 
in this exercise, and the younger ones sit 
and listen. When I am enabled to be 
faithful, and press the truth with affec- 
tion, I have scarcely an inattentive lis- 
tener. Sometimes these seasons are very 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 67 

interesting. One morning the subject was 
the new birth — the third chapter of John. 
I asked the class if they thought one might 
know if she was born again. After some 
hesitation, a girl about twel7e years of 
age sweetly said, ^O, yes ; I think one 
must know, for there is such a change in 
everything.' 

"We have considerable reason to hope 
that this girl really experiences this change. 
Nor is she the only one in the school of 
whom we hope well. There are, at least, 
two others who give equal evidence of 
piety. A sister of one of these fell sick 
during the heat of summer, and was very 
ill. I went to see the little sufferer, when 
her grandmother told me that the day be- 
fore, when her two sisters returned from 
school, and thought her worse than when 
they left in the morning, one of them 
said, ' Shall we read a chapter in the Bi- 



68 ONE woman's mission, 

ble to Mary?' When this was done, they 
said, ^ We will pray now.' The old lady 
said, ^It was very affecting to hear how 
they prayed for their poor sick sister ; but 
Ellen's prayer made us all weep.' May 
these hopeful appearances brighten into a 
rich harvest, and enable us to rejoice that 
we have not run in vain, nor labored in 
vain. The school is assuming every day 
a more interesting character. We re- 
ceived nine schalars in one week, six of 
whom were Jewesses.* This of itself is 
a circumstance of no common interest. 
That so many respectable Jews should be 
willing to send their daughters to a purely 
missionary school, religious in its charac- 
ter and exercises, is matter of surprise. 

* The city of Corfu contains a Jewish population of 
four or five thousand souls, who occupy, as in most 
Eastern cities where they are numerous, a separate 
quarter. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 69 

It was brought about through the kind 
influence of Mr. Love. The poor Jews 
felt that there were some who sympa- 
thized with them, and they seemed to in- 
fer that their children could receive no 
harm under the direction of such friends. 
When I saw these dear children, the lin- 
eal descendants of Abraham, enter the 
school, my heart glowed with feelings of 
interest and desire for their benefit." 

For several months the school continued 
to increase and prosper, under the joint 
care of Mrs. Dickson and Mrs. Buel. 
The number in regular attendance was 
not less than fift}^ and there was, besides, 
an interesting Sabbath school of about 
sixty scholars. Though feeble in health, 
Mrs. D. was very happy in her work. 

"When I looked around," she says in 
one of her letters, "and saw the increas- 
ing interest that the school was exciting. 



70 ONE woman's mission, 

and the influence that it was exerting on 
the community, as well as upon those 
more immediately connected with it, I felt 
as if I would not exchange my position 
for any other upon earth." 

But before the close of the year, this 
prosperity was succeeded by a sudden and 
distressing reverse. 

On the 24th of December, as Mr. Buel 
was distributing some Greek tracts in his 
walk, as he had often done before, a tu- 
mult was excited among the populace. It 
was one of the great festival days of St. 
Spiridion, the Patron Saint of Corfu, and 
the people were in an excitable condition, 
partly from religious fanaticism, and part- 
ly from the vigil and carousal of the pre- 
ceding night. Among the tracts distrib- 
uted in the vicinity of the church which 
bore the name and guarded the reputed 
incorruptible body of the saint, was a copy 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 71 

of the Ten Commandments. It was false- 
ly asserted that Mr. B. had made an of- 
fensive application of the second command- 
ment, by pointing to the embalmed body, 
and charging the crowd with worshipping 
it as their idol. 

Exasperated by this malicious calumny, 
the people began to gather around him, 
with insulting and threatening words. He 
hastened home, the crowd following him, 
and increasing in numbers and violence. 
Instead of dispersing, as it was expected 
they would do, when the object of their 
anger was withdrawn from their sight, 
they surrounded the house, burst open the 
door, rushed up the stairs into the room 
where the school was held, smashed the 
windows, seized the books, threw them 
into the street, and tore them into frag- 
ments. Still they clamored for the prin- 
cipal object of their sudden fury, and 



72 ONE woman's mission, 

would probably not have been satisfied 
till they had wreaked their vengeance 
upon him, had not timely help arrived. 
While the missionaries were in .an upper 
room, commending themselves to God in 
prayer, Major Fraser came to the rescue, 
with a company of English soldiers. Mr. 
Buel was immediately conducted to the 
citadel, under a strong guard, the frenzied 
mob following with fierce shouts and vol- 
leys of stones. Several of the soldiers 
were severely hurt by these missiles, and 
Mr. Buel's hat was struck from his head 
by one of them ; but he escaped with- 
out personal injury. The excitement con- 
tinued for several days and nights, mar- 
tial law was proclaimed, one soldier and 
one Greek were killed, and several on 
both sides severely wounded. It was not 
judged prudent for Mr. Buel to be seen 
again in Corfu, and on the evening of 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 73 

the day following the outbreak he took 
passage for Patras. 

Tnis sore trial was acconipauiecl and fol- 
lowed by many expressions of sympathy 
on the part of English friends. In a letter 
narrating the disaster, Mrs. D. says, — 

"I cannot close without mentioning the 
great kindness of the Hon. Mrs. Stuart 
Mackenzie, not at this time only, but ever 
since her arrival in this country. She has 
visited our school, and brought others to 
see it, and spoken of it in such a way as 
must extend its reputation and influence. 
I have just received a kind and sympathiz- 
ing note, and a valuable present, from this 
excellent lady. The Lord reward her for 
all her kindness, especially at such a time 
as this." 

The lady here referred to was the wife 
of the Lord High Commissioner. 

In describing her feelings at the close of 



74 ONE woman's mission, 

this day of distress and alarm, Mrs. D. 
says, — 

" My mind had been kept in great peace 
during the whole transaction, and now I 
felt truly grateful that our dear brother and 
sister were in a place of safety." 

Still she could not but feel sad at the 
sudden blight of flattering hopes, the whole- 
sale destruction of books, — English, Greek, 
and Italian Bibles, school books, and Sab- 
bath school library, — and still more at the 
separation from Mrs. Buel, who had already 
won a high place in the afiection of her 
fellow-missionaries, the respect of the schol- 
ars, and the esteem of the whole commu- 
nity. 

The exasperation of the Greek populace 
had so far subsided that Mrs. D. was able 
to reopen her school in about three weeks, 
but under great disadvantage from the want 
of books, and of Mrs. Buel's assistance. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 75 

Still she toiled on, encouraged by the hope 
of soon welcoming an assistant teacher 
from America. But, instead of receiving 
additional help, she was soon left, for more 
than a year, the only missionary at the 
station. The cause of this, and her feel- 
ings in view of it, will be explained by an 
extract from her letter to Dr. Pattison, one 
of the Secretaries of the Board, dated No- 
vember 21, 1842: — 

"Your very kind letter, received by Mr. 
Love a few days since, gave us all great 
pleasure. It awakened in my mind sweet 
feelings of affection towards our Christian 
brethren in America, whose faces I have 
not had the privilege of seeing in the flesh. 
I have sometimes thought that I labor 
under some disadvantao^es in beino: a stran- 
ger to the Board, and other Christian friends 
in your happ^^ land ; but the spirit of your 
letter made me feel that the dear uniting 



76 ONE woman's mission, 

tie extends its influence even where there 
is no personal acquaintance. 

"I am happy in the opportunity of ad- 
dressing you at this time, as I wished to 
make some communication to the Board 
relative to my present position, and to the 
circumstances of the mission. 

"The alarming symptoms of Mr. Love's 
recent attack of his usual complaint have 
decided him to take the proposed voyage 
to America ; and although I have no doubt 
as to this being his duty, still, being left 
alone, I feel peculiarly situated. I had 
hoped, and indeed fully expected, that .be- 
fore brother and sister Love's departure, 
help would have arrived^; but such is not 
the will of God. I am ready to inquire, 
Why is this greatly needed blessing so long 
delayed? And, again, I am silent when I 
consider that the cause in which we are 
engaged is not our own. It belongs to 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 77 

One who has all power iii heaven and in 
earth, who could easily supply all its wants, 
and meet all its deficiencies. I will hope 
that in the best time help will come, and 
that it will be just the help we need. . . . 
I consider it a great mercy that just at 
this time my health is so much improved. 
Since the cool weather commenced, I have 
felt better, and hope .to get through the 
winter with comfort. 

^Mr. and Mrs. Love are busy packing 
up. I shall feel solitary indeed when they 
are gone ; but a firm conviction that this 
is the will of God makes me acquiesce 
cheerfully in all these arrangements ; and, 
as if to encourage, me, and also fully to 
employ both head and hands, I have had 
within ten days an increase of twenty-two 
scholars. I cannot easily account for this 
great increase at this moment, unaided as 
I am, and without any exciting cause, un- 



78 ONE woman's mission, 

less it be an intimation of Divine Provi- 
dence to teach me that the school is not 
to be given up, although there may be a 
suspension of the mission. You could bet- 
ter sympathize with me in this idea if you 
knew all the conflicting feelings that dis- 
tressed me abolit the school some time 
since ; but these have all vanished, and 
peace and joy have sprung up to cheer 
my toilsome path. But there is encour- 
agement of another kind that we need. 
God has blessed us with a full school ; he 
has brought numbers under our influence ; 
but we want the Holy Spirit to bring home 
the truth with power to these young hearts. 
O, I long to see, not the tearful eye only, 
not an occasional sigh, as if all was not 
ris^ht : I lonsf to see some of these dear 
youth put on Christ, and be able to suffer 
for his sake. We are not without evidence 
that the word is making progress among 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 79 

them; but it does not seem to be of that 
decisive character that enables us at once 
to distinguish the new-born child of God. 
More prayer, more faith, and more patience 
may be wanted to bring about this state of 
things; and, perhaps I ought to add, more 
help. I am at present so hurried that our 
religious exercises have lost much of their 
solemnity ; and even in Sunday school the 
number is so great, and their ages so vari- 
ous, that I can do justice to no class. I 
never now part with my Sabbath scholars 
but with a heavy heart, from a conviction 
that I have not been able to make the 
precious opportunity so useful as it ought 
to be. All 1 can do is, to endeavor to 
keep up the interest already excited, until 
help come. Will no dear Christian sister 
in America come over and help us? If I 
could have an hour's conversation with 
some dear sister whose heart is towards us, 



80 ONE woman's mission, 

I would tell her that the missionary field 
is a delightful sphere of labor, and that it 
becomes more interesting the longer we 
labor in it." 

Under date December 22, she writes a 
long and interesting letter to Dr. Peck, a 
part of which is here inserted : — 

"It is not more than a month since I 
wrote to Mr. Pattison, and I would not 
have thought of writing again so soon, but 
circumstances of so pleasing a nature have 
occurred since that time, that I cannot re- 
sist the desire of communicating them to 
you. 

"About six or eight weeks ago, Mr. Love 
baptized a young Englishman, under pe- 
culiarly encouraging circumstances. This 
young man is the son of a worthy Baptist 
deacon, and was almost the only one of the 
family who was not pious. But the prayers 
of his mother, and the exhortations of his 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 81 

father, followed him to Corfu ; and now 
they who went forth weeping, bearing 
precious seed, have returned with joy, 
bringing their sheaves with them ; and we, 
too, have participated in the joj^ This 
j^oung man was a constant attendant on 
Mr. L.'s English service, which was con- 
ducted with great seriousness and faithful- 
ness, and calculated not only to impress, 
but to instruct. These exercises were the 
means of bringing out this individual, and 
enabling him to declare himself on the 
Lord's side. The relation of his experience 
was most satisfactory ; and now, feeling 
himself as' a brand plucked out of the fire, 
he goes about among his companions, warn- 
ing them and entreating them to consider 
their ways. 

"Another Englishman has also felt the 
power of divine truth ; and from being 
hardened, worthless, and drunken, he has 



82 ONE woman's mission, 

become all at once a chaDged man. ^ I 
have,' he said, 'been in dilFerent quarters 
of the globe, been in dangers by sea and 
land, and experienced many deliverances ; 
but nothing affected my mind till now. 
But now how differently I feel ! My dis- 
tress on account of sin has been such that 
I have not been able to sleep.' When 
makinor these acknowledo^ments, he could 
hardly speak for weeping. He has since 
obtained peace, and is going on his way 
rejoicing. 

" While these things were going on among 
the English, the Greek service was becom- 
ing every day more interesting. Apostolos * 
arrived from Patras, bringing with him two 
candidates for baptism. Mr. Love had pre- 
viously been made acquainted with their 
history, and had had opportunity of con- 

* This first convert of the mission was baptized by 
Mr. Love in Corfu, in August, 1840. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 83 

versing with them when he visited Patras 
during the summer ; and he felt satisfied 
that they were suitable subjects for that 
blessed ordinance. On the evening of their 
arrival we met for religious exercises, when 
brother L. read and expounded the sixth 
of the Romans, with special reference to 
baptism, after which he desired the candi- 
dates to give a relation of their experience. 
John's relation was characterized by great 
simplicity, affection, and readiness. We 
could not but respond to it as the work of 
the same Spirit that had brought ourselves 
out of darkness into marvellous light. Ky- 
riakes is a more bold and energetic man, 
and his account partook more of that noble 
bearing and freedom of thought which char- 
acterize superior minds. O, it was delight- 
ful to hear how their minds were led, from 
one step to another, until, divested of all 
prejudice and superstition, they sat quietly 



84 ONE woman's mission, 

down, counted the cost, and resolved to 
follow their Lord. At the conclusion of 
this service, Mr. L. prayed, Apostolos fol- 
lowed, and with much fervor thanked the 
Lord for enlightening the minds of these 
two, who were soon to be united with us 
by baptism, and prayed for his country, 
and for the extension of the cause of Jesus 
all over the world, but especiall}'' in these 
parts. When Apostolos concluded, John 
commenced, and in a strain of devout feel- 
ing, gratitude, and joy, thanked God for 
his mercy in showing them the way of 
truth, and inclining them to walk in it. 
Kyriakes concluded with a short prayer. 
We sang a hymn, and separated for the 
night, rejoicing over these once lost sheep, 
now found. Nor was this all. We felt a 
degree of happy assurance that the same 
Spirit who had operated on their hearts 
would inflnonce others, and bring them to 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 85 

the same interesting conclusion, and thus 
extend the cause of our blessed Lord. 

" On Sabbath morning we again met for 
worship. As the company present was 
of a more mixed character, brother L. 
did not address the two candidates exclu- 
sively, but explained the nature of the 
union existing between Christ and the be- 
liever. He read the fifteenth chapter of 
John, and other passages. Our dear young 
brothers were much interested, made fre- 
quent remarks as brother L. went along, 
and the service was concluded as previ- 
ously, by prayer, when our two young 
Greek friends again joined. This was a 
sweetly solemn meeting. Perhaps the cir- 
cumstance that it was the last Sabbath that 
I should enjoy the society of our dear 
friends before their departure for America 
added not a little to the interest; and 



86 ONE woman's mission, 

when a hymn was sung by so many Greek 
voices, I felt unable to join in it, and had 
to retire for a little, to give vent to some 
of the sweetest feelings that ever agitated 
my breast. Yes, they were sweet; al- 
though in full view of being left alone, 
and no expectation of soon enjoying Chris- 
tian society, still I could not but rejoice. 
The joy of the Lord was my strength ; 
and so absorbing were the exercises, that 
I have thought of little else since ; and 
their delightful influence continues to cheer 
and solemnize my mind. 

" In the evening, about six, we walked 
to our Jordan — a quiet, sacred spot, where 
not a sound was heard but the voice of 
prayer; and there, in the calmness of a 
serene evening, apart from men, and un- 
known to all around, the precious ordi- 
nance was administered. Our dear English 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 87 

brother accompanied us, and only regretted 
that his ignorance of the language pre- 
vented him from entering so fully into the 
interesting scenes as he wished. But he 
rejoiced in having witnessed the power of 
the truth over the Greek mind, and said 
that it filled him with joy and courage. 
We afterwards sat down at the table of 
the Lord. The twentieth chapter of Acts 
was read, and those parts relating to the 
Lord's Supper commented on. In the 
seventh verse there was something touch- 
ingly appropriate to our circumstances ; 
brother and sister Love were ready to de- 
part. Our Greek friends . seemed greatly 
to enjoy the reading of the word of God. 
The same spirit that characterized all the 
preceding exercises accompanied this. It 
was a day long to be remembered, — a day 
in which God bowed the heavens and came 



88 ONE woman's mission, 

down, — a time of refreshing from his 
presence, when the Spirit hovered over us, 
and made us feel, and see, and taste un- 
utterable things. But ' thought is poor, 
and poor expression.' Well, the time is 
hastening when neither thought nor expres- 
sion will be poor, — when the full soul 
will unburden itself on the bosom of its 
God. O, then there will be no fear of 
using words which convey more meaning 
than they ought, or, through their pover- 
ty, fail to express the half. This joyous 
feeling seemed to be shared by all. 

^^ Brother and sister Love, with their four 
little ones, left Corfu on the 9th. I am 
now alone, but am very comfortably sit- 
uated, and feel none of that loneliness that 
I expected. The school is full to overflow- 
ing, and is still increasing. If I am favored 
with such health and strength as I now 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 89 

enjoy, I will very cheerfully labor alone 
for a little season. Indeed, I ought to be 
thankful to labor in any way, whether in 
health or in sickness ; and such has been 
the enjoyment of the last few weeks, that 
everything is light, easy, and pleasant." 



90 ONE woman's mission, 




CHAPTER IV. 

PROVIDENCES AND VICISSITUDES. 

pi 

'he joy which Mrs. Dickson experi- 
enced in seeing two Greek con- 
verts added to the little mission 
church was soon tempered with sorrow, 
by the tidings of the persecution which 
they encountered on their return to Pa- 
tras. She gives an account of their trials 
in a letter to Miss Elizabeth Forster,* of 
Tottenham Green, London, dated Febru- 
ary 5, 1843. 

* Miss Forster was one of Mrs. D.'s dearest personal 
friends, and most constant correspondents, and one of 
the most generous patrons of the mission school. She 
belonged to a Quaker family eminent for deeds of Chris- 
tian philanthropy. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 91 

"I know your kind interest in the mis- 
sion, and in the affairs at Patras ; and al- 
though you will be sorry to hear of the 
persecution to which our Greek brethren 
have been and are still subject, I wished 
you to know, that they may enjoy your 
prayers. Apostolos took with him from 
Corfu a little boy, to teach him his trade 
of dyer and stamper, and Kyriakes and 
John accompanied them. All the four left 
here in the Austrian steamer, and next 
daj" landed at Patras. But they no sooner 
went on shore than they were surrounded, 
and hooted, and called antichrists, here- 
tics, &c. 

" They reached home with diiSSculty. 
When Apostolos went out the next day, 
he was stoned by a mob, and driven back 
to his house. Soon after he was waited 
upon by constables, who conducted him to 
the police-office, where he found John and 



92 ONE woman's mission, 

Kyriakes also. After being kept all day 
under examination, they were sent to con- 
finement in the evening, under a strong 
military guard. They were next sent on 
board a government ship, and kept there 
twenty-five days. 

'^The poor boy, from grief at separation 
from his parents, &c., fell sick, and be- 
came very ill. The captain of the vessel 
pitied him, and obtained his release. He 
is now waiting at Patras for an opportu- 
nity to return home. Apostolos has been 
sent to Athens, Kyriakes to Galaxidi, and 
last accounts say that John is still in 
confinement. Apostolos has written from 
Athens to Mr. Buel. He says that he ex- 
pects protection and liberty to go on with 
his business in Athens, as soon as he can 
obtain the means of doing so ; but his ene- 
mies have broken into his house, and car- 
ried off everything, — not only his clothes, 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 93 

but his tools. This will put him to great 
expense in replacing them, besides the loss 
of time which must elapse before he will 
be able to do anything. Thus, my dear 
friend, our hopes are again dashed. The 
whole affair has been a great trial to 
brother and sister Buel. They were on the 
point of going to Patras, to settle perma- 
nently there ; but the door is now shut, 
and they must look to some other quar- 
ter.* It is our consolation that the Lord 
reigns, and that he can make the wrath 
of man to praise him.'' 

Ten months later, — December 2, 1843, 
— she writes thus to Dr. Peck : — 

" The first eight months of the year 
passed most comfortably. I had much 

* Mr. and Mrs. Buel had now been in Malta for 
about a year, prosecuting the study of the language, 
and watching for the opening of a door of entrance 
to the Greeks. 



94 ONE woman's mission, 

enjoyment, and was greatly encouraged by 
the state of the school. About the end 
of the summer I felt greatly exhausted, 
and was unable to go on wuth accustomed 
vigor. I gave up the school for a week, 
and went into the country. I hoped that 
this measure would prevent an attack of 
sickness which might be expected after 
the heat. Had I taken a month instead 
of a week, I might have been benefited 

9 

by it ; but as it was, it only postponed, 
but did not prevent, the attack. Ague 
and fever, with erysipelas in the face, con- 
fined me ten days, and left me very 
weak. Then I began to feel anxious for 
dear Miss Waldo ; * but our heavenly Father 
was pleased to try me a little more, and 



* Miss S. Emily Waldo, of Charlestown, Mass., who 
joined Mrs. D. two or three months later, was already 
under appointment, and, indeed, was supposed by Mrs. 
D. to be at this time on her way to Corfu. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 95 

it seemed as if my life was hanging by 
a thread, which might be snapped in a 
moment. 

" I was invited by a friend to take a 
short drive into the country. We had 
gone but a little way, when, through some 
inadvertence on the part of the driver, we 
were all thrown out of the carriage upon 
the road. We were unhurt, except some 
slight scratches and bruises. Was I un- 
grateful to our heavenly Protector for this 
mercy, that another and severer trial was 
awaiting me? 

" Not two weeks after, when walking 
out, I was overtaken by a horse at the 
gallop. I endeavored to get out of his 
way, but was thrown down with great 
violence upon the stones, my dress was 
torn to ribbons by the horse's feet, and 
yet no bones were broken. I was carried 
into the nearest house, and laid upon the 



96 ONE woman's mission, 

bed. As soon as possible I was conveyed 
home, and Dr. Austin most promptly ex- 
amined the injured parts. The knee and 
wrist were the parts that suffered most. 
These, with the wounds and bruises, con- 
fined me to my couch, and gave mc time 
to reflect on the mercy of God in sparing 
my life. But surely it was intended to in- 
duce self-examination. Am I now ready 
to enter the eternal world, to render an 
account of my stewardship? How have 
those high, sacred, and responsible duties 
as a Christian teacher been performed? 
My spirit sinks at the review, and with 
deep self-loathing I would say, 'If thou, 
Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, where could 
I stand?' 

''Again I feel the necessity of some one 
being here to take up these labors. An- 
other stroke or disease may soon cut short 
my poor life; and although, indeed, it has 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 97 

been awfully unprofitable, still the mis- 
sion, left without one to represent it, or 
one to receive our coming brethren, seems 
desolate and forlorn. But there is for- 
giveness with God, that he may be feared, 
and plenteous redemption, that he may be 
sought unto. . 

" It gives me great pleasure to say that 
the school continues in successful opera- 
tion. None of these little trials have at 
all had an injurious effect upon it; on the 
contrary, they have been the means of in- 
creasing the interest and manifesting the 
affection of many of the scholars, their 
parents, and others. The number of schol- 
ars continues to increase. 1 have been 
compelled, however, to refuse taking more 
at present. Two Jewesses and two Eng- 
lish girls wait admission." 

In the same letter she writes about the 
removal of her son from Scotland to Amer- 



98 ONE woman's mission, 

ica, to pursue his studies. In a post- 
script, added a week after the date of 
the body of the letter, she says, — 

"I am now able to go to school, al- 
though not without difficulty. With what 
delight will I welcome Miss Waldo and 
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold ! Our Baptist breth- 
ren are longing sadly for their arrival ; 
but our mercies come when they are most 
needed, and we have daily proof of the 
care of our heavenly Father in smaller 
matters than these." 

While Mrs. D. was laid aside by the 
sickness and injuries above referred to, 
the school was kept up by Mr. George 
Twelves, a young gentleman of English 
parentage, whose interest in the mission, 
and whose ability and fidelity as a teacher 
in English, Greek, and Italian, made him 
for many years an efficient helper and 
valued friend of the successive missionaries. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 99 

As the preceding summer had been 
marked by peculiar personal and bodily 
trials, so the early winter months were 
darkened by afflictions of a more general 
character, in which she was a sharer only 
in the way of sympathy. These she de- 
scribes in a letter to Miss Forster, dated 
February 10, 1844. After alluding to her 
sickness and injuries, and also to her dis- 
appointment in the delay of the arrival of 
expected help, she proceeds as follows: — 

"But, my dear friend, these are not the 
only things which have been permitted to 
try us. Poverty, disease, and death have 
spread distress, and even terror, all around. 
In the end of November, when Dr. Usiglio * 
returned from Italy, he found a peculiar 
kind of disease, hitherto unknown, raging 

* Dr. Usiglio was a Jew by race, but a Christian by 
conviction, at least, and it was hoped by regeneration 
also, and saving faith in Christ. 



100 ONE woman's mission, 

among his brethren the Jews, and carry- 
ing them ofl' in numbers, without being 
able to administer anything to stop its 
progress. The last visit he made me, he 
mentioned this disease, and said, ^ They 
die, and die, and we can do nothing for 
it.' The person is seized with violent 
headache, which increases until reason is 
dethroned, and the sufferer raves until he 
dies. Some live only twelve hours, others 
twenty-four, and some a week ; but none re- 
cover. Although this disease began among 
the Jews, it was not confined to them. 
Many, both Greeks and English, have died. 
I have lost four scholars, and others are ill. 
But of all the deaths which have taken 
place, none has affected me like Dr. Usig- 
lio's. He labored incessantly among the 
sufferers, administering to their necessities, 
and in every way relieving their misery, 
until he was seized with that fatal head- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 101 

ache ; reason failed, and he could only once 
say, 'God alone can help in this extremity.' 
O, my dear friend, this stroke has almost 
sunk my spirits. I say to myself, Is the 
little light which sprang up in the Jewry 
in Corfu to be entirely extinguished? 'By 
whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.' 

" When the disease was at its height in 
Jews Street, the Rabbi called a meeting of 
the Jews, and proclaimed a fast. He gave, 
among other reasons for the judgments. of 
God among them, Dr. Usiglio's school, and 
his defection from the Jewish faith. But 
now that the doctor has fallen by the same 
disease, what is to become not only of his 
school, but of the Jewesses Avho attend 
mine ? Some of these dear girls have al- 
ready left, and it is extremely probable that 
others will follow. It may not be the Rab- 
bi's policy to influence the whole to be 
withdrawn at once, as the doctor's influ- 



102 ONE woman's mission, 

ecce was great, and respect for his memory 
would make such a measure very unpopu- 
lar ; but no doubt he will use his influence, 
when the time suits, to overthrow every 
eflfort of our dear friend to enlighten his 
nation. Such, at least, are some of my 
desponding thoughts. The language of this 
trying providence seems to be, ' Cease ye 
from man, whose breath is in his nostrils.' 
The natives call this disease ^La Spada di 
Dio' — Uhe Sword of God.' May this 
scourge of God not pass away unimproved ! 
"The almost total failure of the olive 
crop is another truly trying dispensation to 
all classes in this country. This is the 
tenth year since a full crop of olives blessed 
the country. Once or twice during this time 
there has been about half a crojD, but the 
general feature of these years has been bar- 
renness. God seems to speak to this peo- 
ple as he once spoke to his chosen Israel — 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 103 

'I smote you with blasting and with mil- 
dew, yet ye turned not to me, saith the 
Lord.' 

*'A few evenings ago I accompanied our 
dear friends Mr. and Mrs. Lowndes to the 
Jews' burying-ground. Mr. L. counted 
more than eighty new-made Jewish graves. 
We stood at the dear doctor's, and la- 
mented over the ruins which death had 
wrought." 

Just one week after the date of the above 
letter, Mrs. Dickson's loneliness was re- 
lieved, and her labors lightened, by the 
arrival of the long-expected help. Mr. and 
Mrsu Arnold and Miss S. E. Waldo reached 
Corfu on the 17th of February, 1844.* In 
a letter to Dr. Peck, dated May 10, she 
writes as follows : — 

"Your very kind favor, received duly, 

* Mr. and Mrs. Buel arrived at the Piraeus, from 
Malta, only a few days before. 



104 ONE woman's mission, 

both admonished and encouraged me. I 
felt that I had been remiss in not writing 
the Board more frequently. A degree of 
awkwardness and embarrassment, which I 
have never been able wholly to overcome 
in writing to persons with whom I am not 
personally acquainted, has often operated 
unfavorably, and always succeeds in mak- 
ing me defer writing as long as I can. 
This is the only apology I can offer for 
being a whole year without writing the 
Board. This backwardness, however, would 
have been overcome, had it not been for the 
opportunity offered by Mr. Love's visit to 
America of addressing a known friend. 
Feeling as I do my deficiencies in this re- 
spect, it is a great comfort to me that our 
dear friends with whom it is my privilege 
to labor are more able and more fxithful in 
the discharge of this department of mis- 
sionary duty than I have been. It is mat- 



AND now SHE FULFILLED IT. 105 

ter of devout gratitude to God that he has 
inclined the hearts of such well-qualified 
laborers to enter on this field. I take it 
as a pledge of future blessings, and my 
weary soul finds repose in something like 
an assured hope that God will yet visit this 
dry and parched land with showers of bless- 
ings. 

"Miss Waldo is remarkably adapted for 
the school. She makes up for all my de- 
ficiencies. That shrinking backwardness 
which often prevents me from drawing out 
others on the subject of religion is met in 
her not only with firmness, but with dis- 
cretion and love. 

"I might mention a number of other 
things which would tend to show the ten- 
der care of God in supplying the very 
wants of the mission and the school ; but 
you are so well acquainted with our be- 
loved friends, and can so well appreciate 



106 ONE woman's mission, 

their value, that it is not necessary to say 
more. 

^'Dear sister W. has already gained the 
confidence and won the affections of our 
scholars. I can but smile when I see them 
all crowding around her with demonstrations 
of pleasure and interest, and listening to 
all she says with something like devotion 
— a devotion which is sure to secure at- 
tention to her instructions ; and, indeed, 
there are already appearances of tenderness 
on the subject of religion which did not 
exist before. May we not hope that the 
work of the Spirit will not stop here, but 
that in many cases it will ripen into con- 
viction of sin, and reception of the truth 
as it is in Jesus? 

"Other circumstances also encourage us. 
The Jewish department of the school, which 
I greatly feared would suffer after the death 
of Dr. Usiglio, is now as flourishing as 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 107 

ever ; and the Greeks, who have long stood 
aloof, first from one cause and then from 
another, seem now to be getting the better 
of their prejudices, and are returning to 
the school, much to our satisfaction. Last 
week we received two, and applications 
have been made for others. 

"But the circumstance which has most 
deeply interested my feelings was the bap- 
tism of our dear sister Miss P. I had 
almost despaired of her ever coming out 
and following Christ as a humble and de- 
spised Baptist. And when she came for- 
ward and asked baptism, in the face of 
such obstacles and such determined opposi- 
tion, it quite excited and almost overcame 
me. The decision of her piety, and her 
station in life, made her a marked charac- 
ter in this small place ; but when she was 
baptized, O, what a storm arose I I thought 
that I had never seen before our great en- 



108 ONE woman's mission, 

emy so like a roaring lion. Her mother * 
came to the house, and in no measured 
terms charged me with breaking up the 
peace of an attached family, perverting 
her daughter's religion, and teaching her 
disobedience, hypocrisy, and lies. Every- 
thing I ventured to say in reply only exas- 
perated this enraged woman; and she went 
away threatening vengeance, calling me a 
hypocrite and a fool. Not satisfied with 
this, two days after she and one of her 
sons, a youth of twenty, called on Mr. 
Arnold, and in the same abusive manner 
vented their rage. They then came to the 
school, where their violence alarmed the 
scholars, and where I was again blamed for 

* The young lady here referred to was baptized with- 
out the knowledge of her mother, but with the full knowl- 
edge of her father, who, in fact, came with her to the 
missionary's house for the purpose, accompanied her home 
after her baptism, and conducted himself with moderation 
and friendliness in the whole affair. 



AND HOW SHE TTJLFILLED IT. 109 

misleading an innocent and pious young 
lady. The mother turned to the scholars, 
and addressed them in Italian, warned them 
to beware of the instructions which they 
received — that I had perverted her daugh- 
ter, and would pervert them. They after- 
wards called on the parents of our Jewish 
pupils, and entreated them to withdraw 
their children from our school ere it was 
too late, mentioning, as a reason, that I had 
persuaded the daughter to be baptized, and 
that this was the design of all the instruc- 
tions they received at the school ; and 
finally, as a last eflort, they went to the 
police, and tried to bring forward a charge 
of breaking the peace against us. 

" It was impossible not to be affected by 
such a scene. Not that we valued the 
threateniugs, or regarded the abuse ; but 
the publicity given to them, the misrepre- 
sentations made, and the bad impressions 



no cf^ ''^^^''^' 3 MISSION, 

received 1/ ^ ^^ iUiiity, made the whole 
aflfair tr/*^^^ J,, ^rod wa^ with us, and 
gracioii^^^^V;. ^l our ^ear young sis- 

ter. / ^1 

"/ ^^^ ^, . joyed /a happy commun- 

lor/ ^^^o/? ^our d^aar sister received 

/^^&'?gnt hand of fellowship. It was a 
(Season of peculiar teiiiderness, sympathy, 
/ and love. To see this precious lamb safely 
gathered into the fold of the church below, 
with the full and delightful expectation of 
joining together in the new song in the 
upper sanctuary, to go no more out — O, 
it could not but call forth a prayer that 
such scenes might frequently be renewed. 
Next morning I received the following 
note : — 



"'My dear Sister. 

"'Yes, J can now call you sister. You 
have been' the means, under the direction 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. Ill 

of the Lord, of bringing me to the knowl- 
edge of the truth ; and I do most heartily 
thank you for all your kindness, your sym- 
pathy, and your prayers. I feel cheerful : 
there is not a lonely room in the house. I 
came up to your house this afternoon trem- 
bling and cast down, in view of partaking 
of the Lord's Supper, because I remem- 
bered, when for the first time I took the 
sacrament at Mr. L.'s, how unhappy I was 
for a long time after, and I feared it would 
be the same again. But my feelings are 
now very difierent. I am doubly the Lord's. 
It has been indeed a season of refreshing 
to my weak and depressed spirit.' 

" We had reason to believe that those in 
authority here had heard some of the per- 
verted accounts of sister P.'s baptism, and 
were displeased. The Secretary's wife said 
to Mr. Twelves, 'Mr. Arnold had better 



112 ONE woman's mission, 

take care what he is about : the very next 
time that he baptizes, he will be sent off 
the island ; and the only thing to be regret- 
ted will be the breaking up of the school.'* 
These threats do not trouble us, nor do I 
believe they will be put in execution. Still 
we were rather surprised yesterday by a 

* Mr. A. baptized seven others, English and Greek, 
before he left Corfu, and enjoyed many pleasant visits, 
both in her house and in his own, with this amiable lady, 
after she was better informed. The fact that all the 
efforts of Miss P.'s mother produced so slight and tran- 
sient an effect in prejudicing the English community 
against the missionaries was no doubt owing in great 
- part to the Christian wisdom and charity of the Rev. 
Edward Hall, the chaplain of the English civilians in 
Corfu. It was just at the time of these events that he 
and the missionary first met ; and that meeting was the 
prelude to a tender and sacred friendship, interrupted 
only by his departure for England, and to be renewed, it 
is hoped, in that better world of which he has been for 
many years a citizen. He did what he could to calm the 
rage of the excited mother, and to mollify the preju- 
dices of those who had listened to her representations. 
Before Mr. A. left Corfu, he and his family interchanged 
social courtesies even with the mother of Miss P. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 113 

visit from Lady Seaton,* accompanied by 
a son and two daughters and the Secretary's 
wife. Lady S. made an apology for never 
having visited the school before, and ex- 
pressed great surprise at seeing so many 
scholars. They inquired about the Jewish 
children, and supposed that so many of 
them did not come now as formerly. I 
told them that, although they had been in- 
formed by some prejudiced persons that all 
my teaching only perverted their religion, 
their confidence was the same ; that we had 
received several new scholars ; and that this 
very day a Jewish father, with expressions 
of deep gratitude, had brought his daugh- 
ter, scarcely recovered from sickness, whose 
great desire to get better was that she might 
return to our school. 

'' The ladies remained about three quar- 

* Lord Seaton was at this time the Lord High Commis- 
8ioaer of the Ionian Islands. 

8 



114 ONE woman's mission, 

ters of an hour. They heard some of the 
girls read, and looked at their work ; but 
they seemed most pleased with the ready 
and interesting answers to questions from 
the Scriptures, which a class of little girls 
made to Miss Waldo. Mrs. F., the Secre- 
tary's wife, did not seem to be able to ac- 
count for the prosperity of the school. But 
we know, if we have the blessing of God, 
'greater is He who is with us than all those 
who are against us,' and He can and does 
overrule seemingly adverse circumstances to 
promote the very cause which our enemies 
would overthrow. 

"Presuming on the kindness of the Board 
to permit my departure to Scotland for a 
short time, I have been inquiring for a ves- 
sel ; but none suitable has offered. I wish 
to be guided in this, as well as in every 
other circumstance in life, according to the 
will of God ; and, whether I go or stay, I 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 115 

hope that the divuie pleasure will be mani- 
fested, that I may have confidence that 1 am 
pursuing the proper path. 

"I sincerely thank you, my dear sir, for 
your kind mention of my son. I only 
wait the opportunity of sending him to 
America." 

Agreeably to the intimation at the close 
of the above letter, Mrs. Dickson took pas- 
sao:e for Ens^land in a sailino; vessel from 
Patras, about the middle of July, and ar- 
rived safely after a tedious voyage of two 
months. She proceeded immediately to 
Perth, where her son was at school ; and, 
after spending a few days in visits with him 
among their kindred and friends, she ac- 
companied him as far as Greenock, on his 
way to Liverpool, where he was to embark 
for Boston. He sailed on the 29th of Oc- 
tober. 

Writing to Dr. Peck from Edinburgh, 



116 ONE woman's mission, 

October 30, 1844, she speaks of her soa's 
prospects in life, and her own wishes in 
regard to him : — 

'' My desire in regard to him is, that he 
may glorifj^ God in whatever station in 
life he is best fitted for. ... I have seen 
so much of what may be called bungling 
in apprenticing boys to a trade which 
they never liked, and in devoting them to 
a ministry which they were never fit for, 
that I am afraid to give advice, even 
about my own son. What can I do, my 
dear sir, but what I have often done? — 
cast him again on the Lord, and recom- 
mend him to you and other Christian 
friends, and trust that the event will 
show that his going to America was from 
God." 

In the same letter she speaks of con- 
ferences which she had in Glasgow with 
the members of a society, connected with 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 117 

the Free Church, who had united them- 
selves together for the purpose of estab- 
lishing a mission to the Jews in Corfu. 
They proposed to her to leave the service 
of the Board, and take charge of a Jew- 
ish school under their direction. This she 
firmly declined to do. Propositions were 
then made to her to give her assistance to 
their school, in conjunction with a teacher 
whom they would send out. But no de- 
cision was reached by these negotiations. 
Writing a month later from London, she 
says that she had met the Committee of 
the Free Church there, and that after cor- 
respondence on tteir part with Edinburgh 
and Glasgow, it had been decided to send 
out a female teacher for the Jewesses as 
soon as practicable, and also a missionarj^ 
both to be stationed at Corfu. It was un- 
derstood that when these plans went into 
eflfect, the Jewesses in the Mission School 



118 ONE woman's mission, 

would be transferred to the new school. 
Though deeply interested in the daughters 
of Israel, Mrs. D. acquiesced in this ar- 
rangement, which was, indeed, in accordance 
with the wishes of the Board, as it was 
hoped that the school would thus be made 
more efRcient for the good of the Greeks, 
Mrs. D. expresses her feelings on the sub- 
ject hi a letter to Dr. Peck, written from 
London, December 5, 1844: — 

"When I consider that this interestinsr 

o 

department of our school has continued to 
increase, notwithstanding repeated endeav- 
ors to destroy it, and that there are some 
evidences of a blessing resting upon it, it 
becomes a question of deep and prayerful 
interest, What is to become of these dear 
girls? How are they to bo supplied with 
wholesome instruction, such as may make 
them wise unto salvation? I feel rather 
peculiarly on this subject, having seen the 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 119 

first germs of desire for instruction in the 
Jewish families in Corfu, and been per- 
mitted to assist in clearing away some 
prejudices from their minds. Still, dear 
as the daughters of fallen Israel are, I 
only wish to see the path in which God 
would have us to go — the path that will 
bring most glory to himself; and most 
good to the souls of others. In the mean 
time, we are desired to keep on with the 
Jewesses for some months longer. The 
Edinburgh Ladies Society voted an addi- 
tional twenty pounds, ten of which were 
paid to me, and the remaining ten will 
be sent to Corfu." 

The society referred to had already voted 
tw^enty pounds as an annual grant to the 
Mission School in Corfu, with particular 
reference to the work w^hich it w\as doing 
for the Jews. 

Mrs. D. goes on to mention other do- 



120 ONE woman's mission, 

nations from private individuals, amount- 
ing to about eleven pounds. These sums, 
she says, made her the more grateful, as 
they were all given without any direct so- 
licitation, after hearing her ^^ simple ac- 
count of the state of the school and the 
mission. There was a little circumstance," 
she adds, "connected with Euphemia Hay 
giving her half crown, which I must men- 
tion. It gave me great encouragement at 
the time, and I hope to remember it when 
cast down for want of success. 

"One evening, when taking tea with a 
friend in Edinburgh, I was told that a 
young woman wished to see me. She 
was requested to come in. As soon as 
she saw me, she said, ' Perhaps j^ou do 
not remember me, but I will never forget 
you. It was at your school, twenty-five 
years since, that I received impressions 
which have never been effaced. O, I re- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 121 

member the time, the look, and the man- 
ner, in which those solemn words were 
littered by you as spoken by Isabella Ham- 
ilton — another scholar — on her death-bed, 
" O, I shall never be saved ! " I went 
home weeping, and in great distress.' I 
said to her, ^ You never told me anything 
of it.' * No,' she said, ^ nor any one else ; 
but blessed be God for his mercy. I have 
long, long desired to see you, and now it 
is granted. Accept this little trifle for 
your school.' I said I was happy that I 
had seen her. She answered, eagerly, ^It 
is impossible that you can be so happy as 
I am.' I felt my heart rise in gratitude 
to God for this unexpected "mercy, and I 
take this opportunity of thanking you, and 
our respected Board, for permitting me to 
enjoy such a feast. Nor was this all. I 
was at this time taking tea with another 
old scholar, who had been brought to the 



122 ONE woman's mission, 

knowledge of the truth about the same 
time, whose history is a very interesting 
one, but too long for insertion here." * 

Mrs. Dickson arrived in Corfu on the 
last day of the year. Reviewing the 
events of her journey, she thus expresses 
her feelings in a letter to Dr. Peck, writ- 
ten from Corfu, January 20, 1845: — 

" I cannot again retrace the merciful 
steps of God's providence and grace in 
my late visit and voyage, and the happy 
welcome tendered to me on my arrival 
here, without feeling that this is my ap- 
pointed place, and I consider it ^a goodly 
heritage.' The clouds must become dark- 
er, and discouragements thicken, and hopes 
fail, ere I can believe that God has no 
mercy for Corfu. And if the vision tarry, 
still may we wait for it. 

"I do not know why 1 am now writing 

* See Appendix, pp. 254-272. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 123 

under a feeling of discouragement, for al- 
though we have our sorrows, still there is 
something to cheer. I pass over the joy- 
ous mirth of our scholars and others at 
receiving the presents from our friends in 
Scotland, and all the thanks expressed on 
that occasion ; but I cannot pass over what 
Paulos said, on receiving the money sent 
by Miss Forster. When I gave it to him, 
I said, 'This is sent to you by a friend of 
the Lord Jesus.' It surprised him, and he 
burst into a flood of tears, and sobbed like 
a little child. Looking up to heaven, with 
clasped hands, he said, ' It is all of God. 
I do not deserve this : I am a great sinner. 
O, may the love of Christ be ever with this 
friend. I have been a pliarisee, and I have 
been a publican (an extortioner I suppose he 
meant), and now I have neither olive trees 
nor vineyards ; but the love of Christ- is more 
than all these. I do not murmur because I 



124 ONE woman's mission, 

am poor : I know that it is all right.' I was 
touched at such an exhibition of feeling, 
and could not but hope that he has really 
tasted that the Lord is gracious. He is 
now in Mr. Arnold's study, reading the 
Scriptures. I had occasion to go into the 
room, when he looked up, and said, 'I 
love to read this, it is so sweet.' There 
are also indications of a work of grace go- 
inof on amono^ Mr. Arnold's Eno^lish hear- 
ers, and we are cheered by the conversa- 
tion and deportment of the last baptized 
converts. 

^^This mail brought me a very kind let- 
ter from Scotland, and a further donation 
of five pounds from the Jewish Society for 
our school. Our Scottish friends, both in 
Edinburgh and Glasgow, are unanimous in 
their opinion not to establish a separate 
school for the Jewesses, as long as we 
can or wish to keep them at our school ; 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 125 

and remittances will be sent to enable us 
to increase the number if possible. The 
London ladies, on the contrary, wish a 
school to be established at once, and the 
whole affair to be under their own man- 
agement. With such conflicting opinions 
and designs, it is difficult to know how to 
act. We desire to be guided by the wis- 
dom which is from above, and to manifest 
something of that spirit that rejoices in 
the extension of the cause of truth, by 
whomsoever promoted." 



126 ONE woman's mission, 




CHAPTER V- 



STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS. 



|AELY in February, 1845, only a 
little more than a month after her 
return from England, Mrs. Dick- 
son was attacked with a violent disease, 
which brought her near to death. In her 
first letter to Dr. Peck, after her recovery, 
dated May 9, she describes her feelings 
in view of her expected departure from 
this life : — 

"When I had the pleasure of last writ- 
ing you, I did not expect any interruption 
of my usual occupations, but hoped that, 
as I had returned in safety and comfort, 
wilh restored health, and renewed desires 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 127 

to devote myself to the clear cause, I 
would be permitted to go on. But one 
short month had scarcely elapsed when I 
was laid low — -very low. I did not ex- 
pect ever to address another letter to you ; 
but I expected to give in ray account to 
another tribunal. I thought I would soon 
see the great white throne. The view 
was deeply- solemn, yet perfectly peaceful : 
not a cloud interposed to darken the bright 
prospect; not even a deep sense of un- 
worthiness and self-loathing, a humbling 
view of unfaithfulness, and of the utter 
worthlessness of anything that I could do 
for his name. No ; these consideraticms 
only enhanced the value of the mercy, 
because the humbled sinner was forgiven, 
and the unfaithful servant encouraged to 
look to Jesus, in whose face not a frown 
appeared. 

So delightful was the hope of being free 



128 ONE woman's MISSION, 

from sin and sorrow, and seeing Jesus as 
he is, and the ten thousand glories that 
are at his right hand, that I almost re- 
gretted that the disease took a favorable 
turn, and that hopes were entertained of 
my recovery. How ungrateful — to be 
unwilling to labor a little longer, even 
though amidst discouragements and disap-. 
pointments ! This ingratitude brought its 
reward : I recovered, but I soon lost the 
sweet sense of those happy prospects." 

About this time the question of aban- 
doning the Greek mission was earnestly 
discussed in the meetings of the Board, 
and was submitted, before the final de- 
cision, to the missionaries on the ground, 
for their views and opinions. In answer 
to a letter from Dr. Peck on this subject, 
Mrs. D. writes, under date August 6, 
1845,— 

" Your last letter produced great search- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 129 

ings of heart. We have all felt deeply 
its painfully interesting contents. These 
contents have been the subject of much 
thought and many prayers. The result 
of all in m}^ mind is, a sincere desire to 
follow the leadings of Divine Providence, 
and to acquiesce in the will of God, 
whether that will be the relinquishment 
of the Greek mission or its continuance. 
We sympathize deeply in the circum- 
stances of the Board. The present is a 
season of no common trial and difficulty. 
In such circumstances, and Avith such 
views as they possess, it is not surprising 
that they should have come to just such 
conclusions as they have arrived at in re- 
gard to the mission. It is not for me to 
give my opinion about the recent trans- 
actions of the Board, or of the mission 
to which these transactions refer. 

"Mr. Arnold, in whose judgment and 
9 



130 ONE woman's mission, 

fidelity I have the fullest confidence, will 
write on these subjects. But allow me to 
say a word in behalf of the school, the 
interests of which lie very near my heart. 
It was the first question which arose in my 
mind on reading your letter, — If the mis- 
sion be given up, what will become of the 
school? I felt as if I could not abandon 
it. My soul clings to it as to something 
most precious. It is true, I cannot hold 
out long in duties so arduous as a school 
requires, in such a country as this. The 
feebleness of age, and it may be of dis- 
ease, will soon close these labors. Still 
the few years, or months, or whatever time 
it may be, of remaining strength, I wish 
to spend here. I might mention many rea- 
sons for this desire, but you are already 
well acquainted with the history of the 
school ; you know some of the providences 
which led to its opening, and the state of 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 131 

mind in which it was undertaken, and of 
my continued and unabated interest in all 
its concerns." 

She was spared the trial which at that 
time seemed impending, and permitted, 
agreeably to her wishes, to labor on in 
the Mission School. Nor were her labors 
without encouraging results. Writing to 
Dr. Peck, November 8, she says, "As we 
proceed in our work, it becomes increas- 
ingly interesting. The school is now full, 
numbering almost seventy. But a small 
proportion of these are English. The in- 
crease has been almost entirely from the 
native population. The Jewesses are still 
with us, and are likely to be so for some 
time longer, as a suitable teacher has not 
been found for them. Mr. Charteris has 
promised to open for them a separate 
school, and has asked my assistance in form- 



132 ONE woman's mission, 

iiig it.* The Sabbath school goes on well. 
I have a very ioterestiug class of boys — 
some of them thirteen, fourteen, and fif- 
teen years of age, and from a respectable 
class of society. These dear yonth excite 
my hopes that some of them may one day 
be witnesses for the truth in Corfu. Their 
attention and seeming interest in the sub- 
ject of religion are very encouraging. I 
often come home from Sabbath school quick- 
ened and refreshed, althouo;h I may have 
gone to it depressed and discouraged at the 
state of the cause of Christ among us." 

"February 21, 1846. The Jewesses are 
still with us ; but now that the Society in 
England know that I cannot become their 
teacher, they will probably soon send one. 
The first and second classes continue to 

* The Rev. William Charteris, a missionary of the 
Free Church of Scotland to the Jews, arrived in Corfu 
September 23, 1845. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 133 

read the Scriptures, and are regularly in- 
structed out of them. We have not been 
able yet to introduce the New Testament; 
but although they decline reading about 
Christ themselves, they are present and lis- 
ten with marked attention when we are en- 
gaged in our daily Bible lesson. I am 
frequently led, by seeing their attention 
arrested, to say something that may be 
useful to them, as well as to pur other 
dear ^ scholars. 

" I said they decline reading about Christ. 
A little incident occurred which showed 
this. In the course of reading, they camo 
to a lesson in which, on a cursory view of 
it before commencing, they saw the name 
of Christ. One whispered to another, ' This 
lesson is about Jesus Christ.' I said, ^It 
is; have you any objection to reading it?' 
Two of them hung their heads, and said 
nothing; but Sarina, who is the most §e-r 



134 ONE woman's mission, 

rious, and of whom we had the most hope, 
said, deliberately, though with evident emo- 
tion, ^O, I cannot read about himl^ Since 
that time — and since, too, feeling that I 
could do so little in a direct way, I have 
tried to interest them at Bible class — they 
have appeared more shy, attended less reg- 
ularly, and seemed less disposed to receive 
religious instruction. Still, we hope that 
truth is making some progress. 

"A few days since, a Jewess, the daugh- 
ter of the teacher employed by Dr. Usiglio, 
called, and had some conversation on the 
subject of Christianity. We commenced by 
reading together the twelfth chapter of 
Zechariah. I asked her who the person 
was who was there said to be pierced, and 
who was mourned for. She declined an- 
swering, but seemed willing to listen to 
what might be said. When I said that the 
Jews ought to examine the question, and 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 135 

see whether our Saviour is their Messiah, 
she said, ^ I have read the Life of Christ, 
and other books which Mr. Charteris has 
o-iven me ; but I am so afraid to be seen 
reading them, that I hide them away when 
any one comes in.' To the question, what 
she thought of the Life of Christ, she re- 
plied, ^O, there are difficulties.' I said the 
subject was not without difficulties, even to 
a Christian reader, but the chief difficulty 
lay in the state of the heart, for both Jew 
and Gentile were alike averse to spiritual 
religion until the heart was renewed by the 
Spirit of God. She looked surprised. I 
asked her to read Ezekiel xxxvi. 26, 27 : 
' A new heart,' &c. She read these verses 
with some appearance of feeling. I asked 
again, ' Has this blessed promise been ac- 
complished?' She shook her head, and 
said, 'No.' This led to some remarks on 
the stony heart, and the necessity of a 



136 ONE woman's mission, 

changed one ere we could appreciate the 
Scriptures or understand the meaning of 
this language. Perhaps she had never once 
thought of any change being necessary, or 
that she was in any danger. I then asked 
her if she praj^ed, or ever felt as David 
did when he said, ^ Open thou mine eyes, 
that I may behold wondrous things out of 
thy law.' She said but little during the 
conversation, but seemed to wish to hear ; 
and if my little stock of Italian had not 
been so easily exhausted, I might have 
spoken to any length on the subject of 
redemption through Christ. She left, say- 
ing she would come again soon. If so, we 
may have another opportunity of renewing 
this interesting subject." 

In the summer of 1846, Miss Waldo re- 
moved to Athens, where there seemed to 
be an inviting opportunity for teaching ; 
and thus the whole care of the school was 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 137 

again devolved on Mrs. Dickson. The 
school, however, continued to prosper for 
the next year and a half; and the record 
in a letter dated July 7, 1847, is, that it 
had never been, since its commencement, 
in a' more flourishing condition, both in 
regard to numbers and the character of the 
scholars. More than sixty were in regular 
attendance ; a large majority of these were 
Greeks, many of them from the better 
classes of society, and nearly all cheerful- 
ly paid the moderate fee for tuition, so 
that the receipts were greater than they 
had ever been before. Just at this time 
Mrs. Dickson was again laid aside by a 
sudden and violent attack of erysipelas. 
After a short summer vacation, the school 
was reopened w^ith encouraging prospects ; 
but another attack of the same kind, though 
less severe, interrupted her labors before 
the close of the year. She alludes to this 



138 ONE woman's mission, 

illness, in a letter dated December 28, as 
a chastisement from her heavenly Father; 
"and yet," she adds, ^'I can hardly call it 
a chastisement, it was accompanied by so 
much sweet peace and real enjoyment. 
The school," she continues, " for many 
months has been quite interesting, and I 
have entered into it with heart and soul ; 
but I am growing old now, and my strength 
is not equal to my desire to benefit it, and 
to its growing requirements. During the 
last summer, it continued rapidly to in- 
crease, and even after the partial interrup- 
tion occasioned by my sickness we still had 
additions. Nine new scholars were received 
within the first week or ten days after the 
school was reopened. If I had been able 
to take advantage of these opportunities 
of enlarging the school and increasing the 
interest already felt in it by the Greeks, 
it might have presented now a still more 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 139 

encouraging aspect than it does. It then 
numbered about seventy. But having just 
recovered from sickness, and being still, 
weak, I was unable to do what in other 
circumstances I might. The heat, too, was 
oppressive, and some other untoward cir- 
cumstances combined to lessen the effi- 
ciency of the effort ; and the effects were 
soon felt, both in a gradual diminution 
of numbers, and in fewer admissions. It 
now, however, numbers sixty. Probably 
the anxiety and effort to bring the school 
up again has had something to do with 
this attack of sickness. If I could be less 
anxious and careful, the school would not 
thrive the less, and I would suffer less ; but 
I constantly fail in this. Mr. Arnold has 
kindly suggested the necessity of having 
more help; indeed, he did so some months 
since ; but I was anxious to try the winter 
months without, to save expense. But be- 



140 ONE woman's mission, 

ing satisfied, from the present state of my 

health and strength, that the school would 

. suffer, I have concluded this to be a duty." 

Repeated attacks of sickness, and grow- 
ing infirmities, did not weaken her attach- 
ment to her work, but rather served as 
occasions for the more emphatic expression 
of her love for that work. Writing to Miss 
Gray, of Haddington, June 1, 1848, she 
says, — 

"I have again been ilL — so ill, and so 
long, that the doctor says I must give up 
teaching, and return to my native country. 
This was sad news to me, and I have 
been trying to convince myself that, with 
great care, I might continue a little longer. 
But perhaps I am wrong ; and I may be 
convinced of this when it may not be so 
easy to profit by the advice. But it will 
never be easy to follow this advice. 
My heart is here^ and in my worh. To 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 141 

leave this place, and these more than 
interesting children, will be no easy trial. 
Yet this may be the will of God ; and I 
would not be fonnd rebelling against that 
will which has ever been, and ever will 
be, the best. Perhaps you will say, as 
others have done, that if health is not 
granted, very little can be done. That is 
true ; but that little I would like to do 
here." 

On a subsequent page of the Sc'ime letter 
she speaks of the beautiful scenery of Corfu. 
" This is Saturday afternoon, and I have 
again a little leisure to converse with you. 
Saturday often brings my early teaching 
days in Haddington to mind. It was the 
chosen day for^ a walk, or a visit among 
my friends ; and it is so still. When able, 
1 greatly enjoy a calm walk in the fields, 
among olive groves and vine-clad hills. Al- 
though I cannot climb many of the latter 



142 ONE woman's mission, 

now, still I admire them, and enjoy the 
beautiful scenery that never grows stale. 
Every revolving season has its peculiar 
beauties, and these are of a high char- 
acter. If I had anything of the descrip- 
tive about me, I would like to lead you 
out and show you some of our finest scenes, 
where hill and dale, water and land, vary 
and beautify the prospect ; where the 
orange and lemon trees, almost stripped 
of their produce, show the buds of a com- 
ing season, still, however, embellished with 
rich, ripe fruit not fully gathered of the 
last crop ; the bursting fig, just maturing, 
and the rich crimson blossom of the pome- 
granate, together with the tender grape, 
which gives a good smell, — these, and 
many others, regale the sense and gratify 
the eye. Perhaps, accustomed as you are 
to think of fruits and flowers protected by 
a high wall, and only the property of the 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 143 

rich or the privileged, you cannot so well 
judge of the beauty of our country scenes, 
where the peasant sits literally under his 
vine and fig tree, and where the divisions 
of fields and gardens are not marked by 
hard stone walls ; but some humble shrub- 
bery, sometimes a row of wild artichokes, 
or even a little ditch, which any one can 
step over, marks the boundaries. Thus the 
eye can take in almost the whole scene. 

"Often, in admiring these beauties, I have 
said, with Heber, 'every prospect pleases, 
and only man is vile.' Man is vile indeed. 
Nothing but regenerating grace can raise 
characters so debased. Proud of their an- 
cestry, sunk deep in debasing superstitions, 
with the added security which they think 
they have from their baptism, it is all but 
impossible to convince them of sin, or to 
make them listen with patience to a faith- 
fully-preached gospel. The natural pride 



144 ONE woman's mission, 

of the human heart in general seems to 
have got a finish in the Greek, so as to 
render him almost impervious to anything 
like low thoughts of himself; and this 
makes the doctrine of depravity so repug- 
nant to him. How, then, can the gospel 
be good news to such ? . It is a precious 
truth that when the gospel does come with 
power, neither the proud Greek nor the 
stubborn Jew shall be able to withstand it. 
O, to witness something of this ! '^ - 

Ample evidence of Mrs. D.'s unwavering 
attachment to her work as a missionary 
teacher has alreadv been oriven, but it would 
be easy to fill many pages with expressions 
of this kind which abound in her letters. 
Under date October 8, 1848, she writes to 
Dr. Peck, — 

" Your last welcome letter, received on 
the 10th of August, was read with mixed 
feelings. The kindness of the Board in 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 145 

defraying travelling expenses when the state 
of my health or the circumstances of the 
mission may make a change of climate 
necessary, was gratefully felt and duly ap- 
preciated. But the thought of breaking up 
my connection with the mission, and leaving 
all that is dear here, caused very painful re- 
flections. I had had letters last spring from 
some of my friends in Scotland, inviting my 
return, and promising employment suited to 
my strength and circumstances ; but, en- 
couraging as this off*er was, I did not feel 
it my duty to go, until I saw more clearly 
what would become of the mission. By 
the time your letter reached me, my health 
had greatly improved. Aided by the kind 
and efficient help of dear sister Waldo (now 
Mrs. York),* I had gone through the sum- 

* Miss Waldo came to Corfu from Athens near the 
close of April, and assisted Mrs. D. in the school until 
her marriage, August 17, to Mr. John York, of Zante. 

10 



146 ONE woman's mission, 

mer duties with comparative ease ; and even 
since her marriage, seven weeks ago, I have 
been able, with improved health, to take 
the usual cares upon myself. 

"The school is at present in a very in- 
teresting state. Several of the girls are 
more than usually impressed with the truth : 
one of them, who has been sick, read her 
Bible and wept over it, to the great annoy- 
ance of her parents, who thought that such 
poring injured her head.'' 

For two or three years from the above 
date there is no record in Mrs. D.'s letters 
of anything out of the usual course of 
events. The school continued to prosper, 
with varying degrees of religious interest, 
now awakening livelier hopes by signs of 
spiritual quickening, and now calling for 
the exercise of patience on account of hopes 
deferred. 

In April, 1850, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold left 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 147 

Corfu to spend the summer iu Northern 
Italy, and Mrs. D. was again left alone in 
the mission. At the same time Mrs. Buel 
was on a visit to America, leaving Mr. B. 
alone at the Piraeus. Mrs. D. writes to 
him under date May 24, 1850, — 

'^The Queen's birthday has given me a 
holiday ; or rather I have taken it, to have 
a little time for writing letters. I have 
finished one to Mrs. Arnold, and another 
to Mrs. York ; and now, my dear brother 
and companion in solitude, it will give me 
great pleasure to write to you, especially in 
your loneliness. But perhaps, after all, we 
are neither so lonely nor so much in soli- 
tude as our dear friends suppose. I can 
but speak for myself, and say I never was 
less lonely. I know I shall miss dear 
brother A.'s teaching and preaching; but 
otherwise I am so pleasantly occupied, 
friends are so kind, and the school is 



148 ONE woman's mission, 

doing so well, that I dare not and will 
not complain. Besides, I am most com- 
fortably situated in the school-house, hav- 
ing a family in the kitchen, the mother of 
which is attentive and kind as a servant. 
What lack I more? 

" But your circumstances are somewhat 
diflFerent. Your loss is greater, and your 
alleviations are not, perhaps, so numerous. 
You must be more alone, and need sympa- 
thy more than I do. But why do I say 
sympathy ? I ought rather to say you 
merit the praise of kind disinterestedness 
iu being willing to give up such comforts, 
and for so long a time, in consideration of 
others. I will be sorry if your audience 
suffers ; and yet perhaps it is to be ex- 
pected, and ought to be considered part of 
the trial." 

In a letter written July 4 she makes this 
record : — 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 149 

" I had also a sweet letter from an old 
scholar. It is thirty years since she was at 
school, yet she writes with as much affec- 
tion and interest as if it were of recent 
occurrence. What a happy teacher I would 
be if all — if even a small part — of my 
scholars turned out as she has done ! " 

A few weeks later she writes to Dr. 
Peck, — 

'' Ever since I heard of your severe ill- 
ness, I have felt reproved for being so long 
in writing. It was distressing to my mind 
to think of your being laid aside from your 
official duties by sufferings probably the 
result of labor and anxiety in the cause of 
our Divine Master, and that I, one of the 
least and most unworthy servants of the 
same Master, engaged in the same cause, 
should neglect an obvious duty, merely be- 
cause I have nothing cheering to write ; 
and, not being able to dress up a story 



150 ONE woman's mission, 

of encouragement — indeed, detesting to do 
it — when there is nothing real to support 
it, I have been silent, but I have not been 
indifferent. 

^^ I will not speak of doing, for I am a 
most unprofitable servant ; yet, notwithstand- 
ing, the school has enjoyed much prosperity 
during the past year. It is to be feared 
that this prosperity is chiefly outward. Still 
we are not without instances of Divine care 
and favor, and these seem to have multiplied 
since I have been alone, or it may be they 
are more observed. 

" I^ am spending a very happy summer 
with my dear school, having a room in the 
same building. I am more with the schol- 
ars, and it seems to tell happily, I hope 
usefully, upon them. I also meet with our 
Christian sisters once a week, when we 
spend an hour in prayer and reading the 
word. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 151 

^ I have been greatly cheered by hearing 
that a young lady, one of our former Sab- 
bath scholars, who showed much seriousness 
and tenderness of spirit, has lately, under 
the preaching of Mr. Warner,* been aroused 
to a deeper sense of her danger." 

September 25 of the same year she writes 
to Mrs. Buel, then in America, — 

" I embrace the opportunity of dear 
brother and sister York's going to America 
to write you. How unexpected is their 
return ! What trying events have taken 
place in Zante since you left ! No doubt 
you have been particularly informed of the 
whole by your dear husband, and it is not 
necessary for me to repeat them. We have 
deeply sympathized with our dear, suffering 

* The Rev. George Warner, an Irish evangelical min- 
ister of the Church of England, was successor to the Rev. 
Mr. Hall, referred to in the note to p. 1 12. He, too, like 
his predecessor, finished his earthly ministry many years 
ago. 



152 ONE woman's mission, 

friends, especially our beloved brother and 
sister York. My heart has bled for her. 
Perhaps you will have an opportunity of 
seeing her yourself, and then you will get 
particulars which I cannot give.* Soon 
after Mr. Arnold's return from Lombardy, 
he went to Zante, where he still is, inquir- 
ing into the state of things, and seeing our 
friends before their departure. We expect 
them here in the 'Austrian' on Thursday, 
and Mr. A. with them. They are very 
desirous that Mr. A. should come to Zante, 
and occupy it as a missionary station, in- 
stead of Corfu. How brother A. feels in 
regard to this, after having been there, 1 
have yet to learn. But it is an important 
question, and will not be settled by him 

* Mrs. D. here refers to an outbreak of fanatical vio- 
lence, in which all connected with the Baptist mission 
suffered in their feelings and worldly interests, and one 
suffered severe bodily injuries, and seemed at one time in 
danger of his life. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 153 

without much prayer and consideration. 
Whether he resolves to go to Athens, or 
to Zante, or to remain in Corfu, O, I trust 
the Lord himself will decide by some evi- 
dent leading of his providence, in connec- 
tion with convictions of duty. This* I think 
we may expect. I have never felt it my 
duty to leave Corfu, nor do I now. I want 
to know the will of God in regard to the 
mission, and hope to rejoice in that will. 
It is delightful to me to see the path of 
duty, and to be enabled to walk in it. 
Hitherto the Lord hath led and fed^ and 
goodness and mercy will still follow, what- 
ever aspect these may assume. They may 
not be all smiling mercies, but they will be 
all loving mercies ; coming from the hand 
of a God of love, they must be gracious. 

'^I want to feel more of my indebtedness 
to sovereign mercy, of the tender care God 
has exercised towards such an unworthy 



154 ONE woman's mission, 

sinner, of his unspeakable love in Christ 
Jesus. Would not this lead to more self- 
consecration to him? Would it not lead 
to more faithful earnestness to the souls of 
my dear charge ? I hear their merry voices 
now, and must leave you, my dear sister, 
as it is nine o'clock. Do you ever pray 
that I may be more successful? . . . 

'^ I have spent a pleasant morning with 
our dear girls. Another scholar added to- 
day. Amidst all the changes, still the school 
goes on and prospers. 

"I have spent a very happy summer all 
alone. When our dear friends the Arnolds 
left for the summer, I took up my residence 
in the school, and converted the writing- 
room into a neat parlor. This, with a 
small back room, has stood me very well. 
I felt the comfort and benefit so much of 
not having to go out in the sun, that I have 
resolved to remain, and keep house myself. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 155 

Nor is the not going out the only advantage 
gained by this, but the school is benefited; 
and, besides this, I have had the privilege 
of reviving a little Bible class." 

In a letter to Mr. Buel, of November 9, 
she says, — 

" The contents of your letter of yesterday 
to Mr. Arnold quite cheered my heart. The 
first baptism x)n Grecian shores ! O, my 
brother, may this be but a drop before the 
shower; or, if this be too much, may it be 
a pledge that there are blessings yet in 
store for Greece, which in God's own time 
shall be communicated ! " * 

* Mrs. D. truly calls this **the first baptism on Gre- 
cian shores ; " for all the Greeks baptized hitherto, by 
Mr. Love and Mr. Arnold, had been baptized in Corfu or 
in Zante ; and the Ionian Islands, though now an integral 
portion of the Kingdom of Greece, were then a noniinally 
independent republic, under the protection of the British 
crown. Her subsequent words seem, at the date of this 
writing (June, 1871), almost prophetic. This drop was 
not, indeed, speedily followed by a shower ; but that bap- 



156 ONE woman's mission, 

A similar expression of her faith and 
hope, though called forth by a very dif- 
ferent occasion, occurs in a letter to Dr. 
Peck, dated March 10, 1851 : — 

" The last accounts from America have 
made us all very sad. O, it was an unex- 
pected stroke to hear that dear sister York 
was no more.* I felt as if stunned by it. 
She was very dear to me ; and the hope 

tism, by which the waters of the Phalerum were re-con- 
secrated t to Christ, was indeed a pledge of blessings in 
store for Greece; and now, in God's own time, these 
blessings are in a course of communication. Mr. De- 
metrius F. Sakellarius, the person whose baptism is here 
referred to, was afterwards a faithful laborer in connec- 
tion with the missionaries, and is now, as a regularly or- 
dained Baptist minister, in charge of the re-established 
Greek mission, and is laboring in Athens under circum- 
stances more encouraging than the missionaries then on 
the ground were ever permitted to see. 

* Mrs. York died in Charlestown, Mass., January 9, 
1851. 

t This word '* re-con sccrated " expresses the writer^s full convic- 
tion that these Grecian waters were often visited in the primitive 
centuries for the purpose of baptism. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 157 

that she would agaiu return to the scene 
of her past labors, where our Christian 
sympathies would be again blended, and 
our united prayers ascend for the mission 
so dear to her heart — this hope was cheer- 
ing, but it has been cut ofl\ I love to think 
of her as a glorified and happy spirit in 
heaven ; and it seems as if she must still 
feel an interest in this mission, if such feel- 
ings can possess the heavenly inhabitants. 
She now probably knows more of the rea- 
sons why prayer has been so long made, 
and labor so long expended, with such small 
results. This often formed the subject of 
our conversations, and then her whole soul 
w^as poured out in earnest supplication for 
a blessing. Surely these prayers will yet 
receive a gracious answer ; and the school 
and the mission nurtured by her tears will 
yet bring forth and bud, and be no more as 



158 ONE woman's mission, 

the heath in the desert, that knoweth not 
when good cometh." 

Her habit of recognizing the hand of God 
in all the events of life finds an illustration 
in a letter written May 5, 1851, acknowl- 
edging the receipt of an unexpected remit- 
tance : — 

'^ How shall I thank you, dear mother, 
for this unexpected kindness? The pay- 
ment of the money under any circum- 
stances, and in any way, was a favor I 
had no right to expect ; but to have it come 
just at this time, when Thomas is finishing 
his studies, and is about to return to Corfu, 
and consecj[uently will have increased ex- 
penses — this is to have the favor stamped 
not only with Christian kindness, but with 

heavenly care. O, my dear Miss B , 

how many times, since my sojourn in a 
foreign land, have 1 seen this manifested ! 
How often have the full heart and the tear- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 159 

ful eye given witness to the remarkable 
adaptedness of the gift to the wants felt or 
feared ! Something of the same kind I see 
in this. I had said to Mr. Arnold that I 
would try to give him twenty pounds in 
July towards Thomas's travelling expenses : 
when your letter came, I saw how this was 
to be done." 

The following extract is from a letter 
addressed to Mrs. Buel in London, on her 
way back to Greece from America: — 

" Your movements and doings in America 
have quite interested us ; and now that these 
are probably closed, allow me to congratu- 
late you upon the success of your mission. 
You have been instrumental in exciting a 
renewed interest in the almost forgotten 
Greek mission, and in directing the minds 
of others to it. If more prayer is offered 
for it, as well as more pecuniary assistance 
afforded, to it, you will have done a great 



160 ONE woman's mission, 

work. O that the Lord the Spirit may 
accompany efforts made iu its behalf, 
whether these are prayers, contributions, 
or direct labor ! We daily feel that with- 
out this we labor in vain, and spend our 
strength for nought." 

On the 5th of September, Mrs. Dickson 
had the happiness of welcoming her son, 
Mr. Thomas G. Dickson, from whom she 
had last parted in Scotland more than 
seven years before. In the mean time 
he had been pursuing a thorough course of 
study, first at Phillips Academy, Andover, 
Mass., and then at Brown University, Provi- 
dence, R. I., from which last institution he 
was regularly graduated in the class of 
1851. ' 

Just two weeks after his arrival, Sep- 
tember 19, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold left Corfu 
to establish themselves at Athens. Mrs. 
Dickson was thus once more, and Hn^illv, 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 161 

left alone in charge of the Mission School in 
Corfu. But now her loneliness was solaced 
by the companionship of her son, who soon 
found employment as a teacher among the 
English residents of Corfu. 
11 



162 ONE woman's mission. 




CHAPTER VI. 

ALONE. 

^^,^N a letter written November 19, 1851, 



w% to one of her missionary sisters in 
Athens, Mrs. Dickson says, "Thank 
you much for your hope of seeing us in 
the spring. Although we may not be able 
to come so soon, yet we hope, God will- 
ing, to enjoy the pleasure in the autumn. 
I am the more willing to make some sac- 
rifices to obtain this, as I greatly wish to 
have another communion season with j/ou 
all before I die. My connection with you 
all has been a happy one, and I would 
wish to seal it by obeying with you the 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 163 

dying command of our reigning Redeem- 
er." * 

She writes to Dr. Peck, under date De- 
cember 15, 1851, as follows: — 

''The coming of Thomas, just at the de- 
parture of our dear friends the Arnolds, 
seemed to mark the care and kindness of 
God ; though had he not come, and I had 
been left alone, I would not have consid- 
ered it less their duty to go, and mine 
to stay. I am truly glad to find that Mr. 
Arnold has increasing satisfaction in the 
step taken, as being agreeable to the will 
of God, inasmuch as he has greater oppor- 
tunities of usefulness." 

Writing to Mrs. Buel at the close of 
the year (December 29), she gives this 
account of her school : — 

* Mrs. D. had never enjoyed a communion season in 
company with all the four members of the two mission- 
ary families. 



164 ONE woman's mission, 

^'The school has done verv well durinoc 
the year ; average nuoiber about forty ; 
present number fifty-five. Five or six of 
these have their education gratis, others 
leave at the end of the quarter without 
paying, and others, again, have their tui- 
tioif at a reduced price. I can say very 
little about the religious interest mani- 
fested : occasionally there is not only at- 
tention, but some appearance of feeling 
under the teaching of the word ; but it 
goes, as it has often done, and leaves not 
a trace behind, at least so far as we can 
see. This is very discouraging ; and it has 
often saddened my soul, that so little is 
being done. Yet 1 love to labor on, and 
still hope that God may pour us out a 
blessing, or, if that is withheld, that in- 
structions given may conduce to his glory 
in the furtherance of his cause." 

February 11, 1852, she writes again to 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 165 

Mrs. Buel on the same subject. " I have 
just read your last, and thank you and 
Mr. Buel for your prayerful interest in 
our school; and, O, may the needed bless- 
ing of spiritual life be granted to many 
of its members. Were it not for the prom- 
ises of God, I would sink under a load 
of responsibility ; and even as it is, I am 
often faint and weary both in body and 
mind. It humbles me to look at the in- 
difference of the scholars. Continue, my 
dear sister and brother, to pray for ren- 
ovation to our dead plants, that, in the 
beautiful language of Scripture, they may 
grow up as willows by the water-courses. 
God hath said, ^I will pour water upon 
him that is thirsty, and floods upon the 
dry ground ; my Spirit upon thy seed, and 
my blessing upon thine oflspring.' Precious 
words, often prayed over." 

While her patient hope was often dis- 



166 ONE woman's mission, 

appointed in regard to her school in Corfu, 
she was every now and then cheered by 
hearing of the spiritual growth of those 
whom she had taught in earlier years in 
her native land. She mentions an instance 
of this kind in a letter to Mrs. Buel dated 
March 11, 1852. "If I could have hope 
of hearing as good news from some of my 
present scholars as I occasionally hear from 
some of my old scholars, it would help 
to cheer me, even when appearances are 
against us. I have had a letter from my 
niece, from Melbourne, in Australia. She 
went there with the simple desire of being 
useful to the young. She opened a school 
soon after her arrival, and it promised 
well. She had letters to the minister, 
whose wife she very much liked for active 
piety and kindness. They met together 
every Lord's day, and taught a Sabbath 
school. This same minister's wife proved 



AND now SHE FULFILLED IT. 167 

to be an old scholar of mine. She and 
two sisters were orphans, all in my school. 
Now they are all happily married — two 
of them to ministers, and one to a mer- 
chant." 

Writing to Mrs. Arnold, May 7, 1852, 
she gives the following testimony to one 
of the Greek converts connected with the 
mission, who had lately come to Corfu from 
Athens : — 

"Tell Mr. A. we have seen a good deal 
of Sakellarius, and like him much. He came 
on the Lord's day after his arrival. I was 
alone. He wished to remain a little while, 
as he had nowhere to go, and no one like- 
minded here. I put down the Testament, 
and asked him to read a chapter. He 
selected the third chapter of the First Epis- 
tle of John ; and prayed, O, how he prayed, 
for his idolatrous countrymen, for the mis- 
sion, for himself, that he might be pre- 



168 . ONE woman's mission, 

served in this wicked place. I was refreshed 
and comforted by his visit, and felt that he 
was a brother indeed. And if the mission 
had produced no more fruit than this, it 
is worth all the labor and expense, the 
prayers and anxieties, which have been 
spent on it, when we consider the value 
of even one soul, and that it is probable 
that no one is converted merely for the 
salvation of his soul, but that he has a 
work to do, or a part to act, or an in- 
fluence to shed upoii others, which will 
result to the glory of God." 

On the 22d of the same month she writes 
to Mrs. Buel on the same subject. " We 
quite like Sakellarius. He called again on 
Sabbath evening, when he and Thomas 
read a chapter in Matthew about the tares 
and the wheat. I could not but notice his 
discrimination, and his wish to be useful 
in the selection of the portion read. When 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 169 

he first called, and read with me alone, 
the subject was Christian privileges ; but 
now he seemed to wish to call the atten- 
tion of the unconverted to their state. He 
prayed, too, in accordance with this. The 
hour was spent delightfully. He seemed 
depressed at the state of things here. The 
more useful he will try to make himself, 
the more he will bring upon himself the 
scorn and reproach of the Corfuotes. The 
Lord preserve him, and give him wisdom. 
He is less likely to err through imprudence 
than some of the others, and the stamp of 
sincerity that is on him ought to disarm 
prejudice. 

"I am very giad that you and Mr. Buel 
are favorably impressed with our brother 

P . My confidence was never shaken in 

his Christianity. He erred, it is true, in 
judgment and in speech ; but his tempta- 



170 ONE woman's mission, 

tions to do so were great, and he has con- 
fessed his error." * 

After referring, in the same letter, to the 
satisfaction which Mrs. B. must have felt 
in seeing her aged parents once more, dur- 
ing her recent visit to America, she adds 
a characteristic thought. " But the greatest 
of all comforts is the hope of meeting with 
our beloved friends to part no more. I 
have thought more of heaven since our 
beloved sister York and dear Mr. and Mrs. 
Anderson have gone there. It seems as if 
I would still like to be instructed by my 

* Mrs. D. did not judge too favorably of these con- 
verts. In the former case, more than twenty years of 
steadfast and judicious Christian activity, and manifest 
and growing usefulness, have set their seal upon his 
sincerity as a disciple indeed; and though the second 
person referred to was never so constantly under the 
eye of the missionaries, he has never, so far as is known, 
proved recreant to his Christian profession, or to his 
Protestant principles. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 171 

old pastor even there ; but how little we 
know of the exercises of heaven ! " 

There was an element of practical real- 
ism in Mrs. Dickson's views of the heavenly 
state, which, without secularizing or degrad- 
ing it, seemed to make it less unlike our 
earthly life than it is in the view of most 
Christians. She seemed to look upon it 
as the resumption — almost as the unin- 
terrupted continuance — of the service be- 
gun here below, but there exalted and 
perfected. In accordance with this idea, 
she sometimes expressed the belief — per- 
haps it should rather be said the hope, 
for she did not dogmatize upon the sub- 
ject — that she would still follow in heaven 
her loved and life-long work of instructing 
the young in divine knowledge. 

In the summer of 1852, Rev. Horatio B. 
Hackett, D. D., visited Athens and Corfu, 
on his return from Palestine, remaining 



172 ONE woman's mission, 

about ten days in Athens, and stopping a 
few hours only in Corfu. In letters to 
Mrs. A. and Mrs. B., of the 21st and 22d 
of July, Mrs. D. thus speaks of his tran- 
sient visit to C. : — 

"I am thankful that the providence of 
God brought him here. His visit was 
soothing and cheering, and has left a 
sweet influence over our spirits. O, it 
made me think of the happy time when 
society will be all pure, and loving, and 
ennobling ; when there will be no alloy 
to perfect bliss, for all will be happy and 
holy. I very much regretted not having 
taken our dear brother into the school ; 
but I was taken rather by surprise when 
he first called, and did not think of it, 
and afterwards there was no opportunity. 
He talked very kindly about the school, 
and intimated that I ought to have help 
from America. He wished me to talk 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 173 

over the subject w^ith you all, and con- 
sider it in all its bearings, at our coming 
visit. . . . Sakellarius, too, was much in- 
terested, and regretted deeply that he could 
but ill understand Dr. H.'s expressions of 
sympathy and fraternal affection. He felt 
this the more, as there are very few who 
have any sympathy with him here. His 
influence, however, is decidedly good, and 
is being felt by his fellow-workmen in the 
printing oflice, one of whom, although 
much opposed at first, now listens with 
interest to him; and S., anxious for every 
opportunity of doing good, takes him on 
Lord's days into the country, that he may, 
free and undisturbed, lead his mind to 
his eternal interests. Pray for him." 

The visit to Athens, to which she re- 
fers above, and to which reference was 
also made in an earlier letter, took place 
in the autumn of this year. Mrs. D. and 



174 ONE woman's mission, 

her son Thomas arrived there on the 20th 
of September, and remained with the mis- 
sionary families until the 5th of October. 
During this visit, she enjoyed the priv- 
ilege of which she spoke so w^armly in her 
letter of November 19, 1851, of joining 
with all her fellow-laborers in the com- 
munion of the Lord's Supper. But, hap- 
pily, it was not, as she then anticipated, 
for the last time. 

Writing to Mrs. B. about six weeks 
after her return to Corfu, she thanks her 
for the kind interest expressed by her in 
the religious welfare of her only son, and 
adds, — 

" O that prayer may be heard for him 1 
When I awake in the morning his state 
forms the first subject of thought, and 
this is always accompanied by upbraid- 
iugs, and deep and painful regret that I 
have not done my duty. Sometimes this 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 175 

leads to more earnestuess in prayer, both 
for myself and for him ; yet I never seem 
to get near the object of my wishes. I 
fail especially in faithfulness, and tact in 
speaking to him on the subject : still, I 
hold by the promises, and delight in plead- 
ing them, and sometimes I feel almost sure 
that he will be saved." 

In November of this year (1852), Rev. 
Solomon Peck, D. D., Secretary of the 
American Baptist Missionary Union, made 
a brief visit to Athens and Corfu, on his 
way to the Asiatic missions. Mrs. D. 
writes thus of his visit to C. : — 

" I had heard of our beloved Secretary, 
and knew him by reputation, and had 
written to him, and received his letters ; 
but the sweet influence of his presence, 
his counsels, and his prayers has been re- 
served till now ; and they have cheered, 
and quickened, and comforted our hearts. 



176 ONE woman's mission, 

On Saturday evening Dr. P. wished Sakel- 
larius to give an account of his conver- 
sion. My son Thomas was interpreter. 
The account was deeply interesting, and 
highly creditable to Mr. Buel as a mission- 
ary. We had the Lord's Supper at twelve 
o'clock the following day. I bless God 
for this visit, it has been so refreshing. 
Mr. Charteris has been exceedingly kind 
to our dear friend in offering him the 
hospitalities of his house. Mrs. C. says 
she will never forget his visit." * 

The first day of the new year, 1853, 
she writes to Mr. A., — 

" I wish you a happy new year, as the 
phrase is, and I know that neither your 

* Mr. SakeUarius was so impressed by the person of 
the Secretary, that he sent his salutations, some months 
after, in true Greek style, saying to one ot the mission- 
aries who was just closing a letter to the Board, *' Give 
my brotherly love to Dr. Peck, whose brow is like 
Olympus." 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 177 

own sick headaches, nor dear Mrs. A.'s 
sickness, can prevent the happiness I mean. 
Our Father's heavenly smile, a sense of 
sins forgiven, and especially a blessing 
upon the work of the Lord among us, 
would impart more joy than the multitude 
find in their corn, their wine, and their 
oil. But I did not mean to sermonize 
to you. 

"January 4. I was interrupted, while 
writing, by a visit from Miss G., who 
very frequently spends part of an evening 
with us. We are beginning to have rather 
interesting conversations on the subject of 
religion. For a long time she quite 
shunned any hint upon the subject. But 
one night, when Sakellarius was here, he 
spoke freely, and asked her a number of 
questions which she found it difficult to 
answer. She was evidently annoyed, and 
did not come again for a long time; but 
12 



178 ONE woman's mission, 

when she again appeared, she began her- 
self by asking some questions about the 
differences between Protestants and Catho- 
lics. I was delighted to be able to turn 
to the Scriptures in proof of our practice. 
When she read of only two orders (bish- 
ops and deacons), and that bishops had 
wives and children, she seemed very much 
surprised and interested. Other subjects 
were talked over, and she went away say- 
ing, 'O, when shall I be able to read Eng- 
lish sufficiently well ! I would then study 
the English Bible, and read other books.* 
"January 6. I received from Scotland 
one hundred pounds, being my share of 
father's property. Of this I intended to 
give brother P. five pounds ; but as he is 
now so well employed, perhaps two pounds 
will be a sufficient expression of sisterly 
interest. If you do not know of any ob- 
ject more needful, I should like to give 



4ND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 179 

the remaining three pounds to the Board, 
as an expression of mterest in the depu- 
tation sent to India. That deputation will 
ever be associated in my mind with one 
of the most interesting visits ever paid 
us." 

The extracts which follow are from let- 
ters addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Buel, un- 
der date February 11 and 12, 1853 : — 

" Our beloved Secretary asked me to 
write to Mr. Bright, and give him some 
account of our school, and of my feelings 
in regard to it. I dislike very much to 
write that sort of official letters, when I 
have so little to write about. But while 
I am connected with the Board, it is my 
duty, and I ought not to be so backward 
to fulfil a duty. 

" I am greatly pressed for time. Fifty 
scholars were in attendance yesterday, and 
there are four still sick, and others absent 



180 ONE woman's mission, 

from other causes. Quite a number of 
new scholars have come within the last 
week, and these almost all Greeks from 
the better class. I have refused two lit- 
tle ones, and given out that I cannot take 
any more at present. I have felt inade- 
quate to the labor even now in winter; 
but what will it be in summer? But a 
sweet word has just come to mind — 'As 
thy days, so shall thy strength be.' This 
is enough, and I rejoice in it, and will 
go on trusting for strength in days to 
come. 

"Mr. Peck told me that in Athens they 
were all very much interested in Mrs. 
York's Memoir, and thought it excellent. 
It is nothing for me to say I like it much. 
I was so attached to our beloved sister, 
that ^11 that comes from her pen is inter- 
esting. I hope the book will do good. 
... I shall try next week to write to 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 181 

Mr. Bright, although unknown. I see 
how foolish I was to hesitate to write to 
dear Mr. Peck, because I did not know 
him personally. It seems now as if I 
could say anything to him." 

October 23, she writes to Mr. A., — 
''This is to me what we call in Scot-' 
land a silent Sabbath. It is, however, 
one of my own making, for I might go 
to public worship. But I went last Lord's 
day, and was anything but satisfied, cer- 
tainly not edified. O, it seems an awful 
thing for men to take upon them what is 
called the cure of souls, and yet to know 
so little of the value or of the way of 
their cure. May not God say to such, 
'Who hath required this at your hands?' 
Then comes home upon my own mind a 
sense of awful responsibility. A very 
painful sense of my not having fulfilled 
my duty, first to my son, and next to my 



182 ONE woman's mission, 

scholars, sometimes keeps me awake dur- 
ing the night, and almost always meets 
me in the moruinof when first awakino:. 
O, w^ere it not for the blood and righteous- 
ness of Christ, I should be most miser- 
able. But I am not miserable. I am 
happy in a perfect Saviour, who has ful- 
filled the law, and endured the penalty 
for me, a worthless sinner. The more I 
see this, the more my ingratitude ap- 
pears." 

In another letter, dated November 8, 
she o-ives the followino;" utterance to her 
dislike of loose, general preaching: — 

"Long before I left the Presbyterians, 
I got thoroughly tired of that general- 
izing way of preaching, so common, at 
least in Scotland, — at one time speaking 
to all as if they were Christians, at an- 
other time just the reverse; imposing du- 
ties on the one class that they cannot ful- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 183 

fil, and imputing sins to the other that 
they would not commit. The consequence 
is, no one can easily find out his true 
character : the sinner can easily evade all 
that is said, and the Christian is little en- 
couraged to fight the good fight of faith. 
But enough of this. I do not wish to 
find fault. I am quite sure, if I prayed 
more for ministers, their services would 
be more blessed to me." 

Through all this year, Mrs. D.'s labors 
were very exhausting, her school being 
very large. There was also an unusual 
amount of sickness and mortality in Corfu. 
But she faithfully kept on in her work, 
abundant in labors, though in much bod- 
ily feebleness, and free from alarm or 
anxiety, though in the amidst of disease 
and death. 

January 8, 1854, she writes to Mr. 
Buel,— 



184 ONE woman's mission, 

^^I have been to church, and heard a 
good discourse from Mr. Charteris on the 
shortness of time, and the need to im- 
prove it. Sakellarius comes regularly on 
Sabbath mornings. He is now accompa- 
nied by old Paulos, to whom S. is faith- 
ful and kind ; yet the old man seems 
much as a door on its hinges, occupy- 
ing the same ground he did six or eight 
years ago. As he said he had no Bible, 
I gave him the only copy I had of Bam- 
bas' Testament. He was earnestly entreat- 
ed to read it, which he promised to do. 
Last Lord's day was set apart by many 
in England and elsewhere to pray for the 
outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our- 
selves, upon our families, upon our work, 
and upon the whole world. After a fruit- 
less attempt to go to church, I turned my 
thoughts to this subject, and in endeavor- 
ing to comply with the injunction, O, how 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 185 

graciously did the Lord meet with his 
poor, faiuting servant ! I could plead for 
my son. It was a blessed day." 

A fortnight later, writing to Mr. A., she 
urges him, with touching earnestness, to 
use his efforts for the salvation of her 
son. 

"This," she adds, "I am sure you do, 
and if crowned with success, he that sows 
and they that reap will rejoice together. 
I have much liberty in praying for him, 
not without hope." 

The Miss G. mentioned in her letter of 
January 4, 1853, was one of the family 
which occupied the upper story of the 
house in which Mrs. D. lived. In a let- 
ter w^ritten February 20, 1854, she gives 
the details of an interesting conversation 
with her. The family were Roman Cath- 
olics. 

"Miss G. comes down frequently of an 



186 ONE woman's mission, 

evening. I have often . felt that I ought 
to turn these visits to more account, and 
when she came one Sabbath evening, and 
began, as usual, on the subject of dress, 
I said to her, ^ Let us leave the subject 
of dress now, and turn to something more 
improving.' 'Why?' said she. 'Because,' 
said I, 'it is the Lord's day.' She then 
said, ' O, we are not so good as all that. 
If we keep from gross sins,' &c. I said, 
'I know you are not — many are not; but 
what does the Word of God say about 
it? Shall we read it?' She assented, 
and I turned to Isaiah : ' If thou wilt call 
the Sabbath a delight, not speaking thine 
own words,' &c. 'Now, Miss G., are these 
our own words, or not? ' ' O, it seems 
very strange,' she replied : ' it is not in 
one thing, but in everything, you Protes- 
tants differ from us. You do not allow 
of revering the saints.' 'Not in the sense 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 187 

of worship,' I said. She answered, ^ Can 
we hold them in too much esteem, who 
have left us such an example of witnessing 
to the truth, and even becoming martyrs 
for its sake?' 'If we give them the wor- 
ship due to God, we do.' 'I do not think 
so.' * Will you read what the Bible sa^^s 
on this subject?' 'Where is it in the 
Bible?' she asked. 

"We turned to Eevelation, I asking her, 
in the mean time, whether a man or an 
angel was greatest. We read the passage 
where the angel prevented John from wor- 
shipping him, saying, ' Worship God.' She 
then said, 'And you would not adore those 
venerable Fathers and others, who have 
been so blessed of God.' ' How could I, 
after reading this? But we are not yet 
done. We have the testimony of your 
own great Apostle Peter.' She looked in- 
quiringly. ' Turn,' said I, ' to the tenth 



188 ONE woman's mission, 

chapter of Acts, and you will see what he 
says.' She read the passage deliberately, 
and then said, ^ I still think thej^ ought 
to be reverenced.' I replied, ' O, Miss 
G., if you knew the blessedness of loving 
and believing on the Lord Jesus, you 
would^never think of adoring any one else ; 
indeed, you could not do it: you would 
feel that you were dishonoring your best 
friend, and giving that to others which 
is due to him alone.' She seemed at a 
loss for an answer, and said nothing. Af- 
ter a considerable pause, I said, ^Mr. C. 
had the communion to-day.' She replied, 
^Your church has no communion.' I said, 
^O, indeed, it has.' 'How often?' 'Once 
a month.' ^ Once a month to go to 
communion, and not go first to confes- 
sion ? ' ' We do go to confession : we 
confess our sins to God ; but we find no 
warrant in the Bible for confessing them 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 189 

to any creature^ so that we may be for- 
given, before partaking of tlie commun- 
ion.' 'But does not the Bible say, "Con- 
fess 3'our faults one to another?"' 'It 
does ; but you know very well that the- 
words " one to another " mean more than 
you practise. The person you confess to 
never confesses to you. Therefore this 
text cannot support your practice.' She 
said, ' I said to you before, that you dif- 
fer from us in everything,^ I said, 'I sup- 
pose the reason is, that your church is led 
by tradition, and we reject everything in 
matters of faith and practice that is not 
supported by the Word of God.'" 

The brief extracts which follow are from 
letters written to her missionary associ- 
ates, at different dates, during the year 
1854: — 

"February 25. The attention of the 
scholars has decidedly improved. Indeed, 



190 ONE woman's mission, 

I am quite encouraged at seeing the look 
of interest, and the glistening eye, when 
the Bible is explained to thera ; and yet, 
after all, this may be nothing more than 
the result of a little more earnestness on 
my part, for I must acknowledge, to the 
glory of God, that I have had this winter 
a renewed sense of sin, which has been 
humbling and painful, and at the same 
time a proportionate view of the great- 
ness of that salvation which delivers from 
sin. O, my brother, how could I but be 
earnest when I saw so many immortal 
beings in danger of being lost? These 
things wrung from me manj^ a bitter cry. 
Yet I was not left desolate. The fulness, 
freeness, and adaptedness of the great sal- 
vation were received with a gladness that 
no language can express. 

"The number of scholars last summer 
was above sixty, and many more might 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 191 

have been added. The number is now 
about fifty. Lady Valsaniachi * visited the 
school to-day, in company with another 
lady. 

" March 8. I have just received your 
last kind letter, and the first thing which 
struck me was the composed and appar- 
ently peaceful death of Mrs. Kalesperi. 
Happy, indeed, is it for her, if she died 
in the Lord, as you hope, and happy for 
you, dear Mrs. B., if you were the means 
of leading her to the right foundation of 
a sinner's hope. It is an encouragement 
to go on sowing the seed. 

"April 22. It is very kind in Mr. 
Granger f to take such notice of us in his 
letters* I am sure neither I nor my son 

* Formerly the wife of Bishop Heber. 

t Rev. James N. Granger, D. D., visited the mission- 
ary stations in Greece on his return from the visit of the 
deputation to the Asiatic missions, as Dr. Peck had done, 
more than a year before, on his way to the East. 



192 ONE woman's mission, 

deserves it. O, I feel so glad I have seen 
dear Mr. G. I will ever remember his 
shart but profitable visit. He seemed to 
remember everything the short hour he 
was here. He walked into the school, 
and examined the books, which brought 
to light my want of school books. I ven- 
tured to ask him if he could do anything 
for us in procuring a supply. He was 
most cordial in his replies ; but still I 
felt I was adding to his many cares, which 
I ought not to have done. When you or 
Mr. A. write to him, will you remember 
me most kindly to him, and mention this? 
" The other and more important part of 
your letter, relating to your self-denying 
efforts to walk worthy of your high call- 
ing, I have thought over, and think, with 
Mr. A., that an entire giving up of meet- 
ing with your Athenian friends will not 
be so likely to secure the desired end as 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 193 

a partial relinquishment conscientiously ad- 
hered to. But after all, the great thing is, 
to get the heart right on the subject. If 
we are supremely engaged in working out 
our own salvation, and trying to benefit 
others, that thej'' too may be saved, we will 
not mind these things. But you may say 
of me that I am not a good judge in such 
matters, as my trial is the going into com- 
pany, not the giving it up. 

''May 2. Our school is very full; fifty- 
eight present yesterday. I shall try not 
to take any more during the summer. 
Last week I received four Greeks, but 
refused three — one English, the others 
Italian. Our Bible lessons in the morn- 
ing are much more interesting now. Some 
of the Greek girls show much attention, 
and the general tone of the school seems 
improved. This is a great comfort to me, 
and makes my labors less fatiguing. 



194 ONE woman's mission, 

"June 24. I failed to see Dr. Eaffles. 
I heard him preach in London, nearly 
twenty-eight years ago, when he was in 
the height of his fame as a preacher; but 
as often happens in such eases, that one 
remembers less of such sermons than of 
others with less pretensions, so it is with 
me. I remember once going into a place 
of worship quite accidentally, not know- 
ing to what denomination of Christians it 
belonged, or who the preacher was. The 
text was, ^Thou shalt remember all the 
way in which the Lord thy God hath led 
thee in the wilderness, to humble thee, 
and to prove thee, and to know what was 
in thy heart, and to see if thou wouldest 
keep his commandments, or no.' O, that 
sermon riveted me to the spot, and came 
home with such unction that I could not 
doubt that it was meant by the Spirit of 
God both to instruct and to correct. 



ANB HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 195 

^July 2. Sakellarius has been here. 
He seems pleased with your letter and 
Mr. A.'s, and intends leaving Corfu for 
Zante on Friday week, where he will re- 
main two days, and then proceed to 
Athens. I am sorry to lose him, but 
glad, very glad, that he is to be em- 
ployed in the mission. I hope he will 
prove to be well fitted for the work. I 
have heard him talk with Paulos and with 
Miss G. on the subject of religion, and 
think him well fitted to bring forth truth 
in an interesting way. Miss G. opposed 
him with all her might, and repeatedly 
told him that that was a subject she did 
not wish introduced ; that with her it 
was a settled question ; that long ago abler 
heads and wiser hearts than his had set- 
tled it to her satisfaction, and she was 
willing to abide by their decisions, and did 
not wish to speak at all on the subject. 



196 ONE woman's mission, 

All this he bore most patiently, and tried 
in some other way to interest her ; and al- 
though it failed, yet his manner showed 
address and shrewdness. 

"July 8. Mrs. Baker has read Judson's 
Memoir with peculiar interest and pleas- 
ure. She very much questions whether 
there is such another man in existence as 
Judson, or whether among women there 
are two such as his first two wives. I 
was very much struck to see the death 
of the third Mrs. Judson in the last paper 
you sent. I had observed in a former 
paper her sickness, but was not prepared 
for the news of her death. O, how much 
talent, piety, and usefulness have been 
buried with these three women ! and 
others are spared, long spared, who are 
little else than cumberers of the ground 
which it is both their duty and interest 
to cultivate. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 197 

"July 15. Sakellarius has just been 
here, and old Paulos. S. has talked most 
faithfully to him, telling that he fears he 
has not profited by the opportunities he 
has had of knowing the truth ; that, accord- 
ing to his own account, he has been read- 
ing the New Testament for thirty years, 
and ought by this time to know some- 
thing about it ; but it seemed rather that 
his whole care and concern were about the 
poor perishing body, now at the mouth 
of the grave, and soon to be consigned 
there ; and what would then become of the 
soul? The poor creature did not know 
what to say, but thought S. was judging 
him severely. The twelfth chapter of 
Luke was read, and appropriate remarks 
were made, and a very earnest prayer 
offered. 

" July 30. O, you do not know how 
welcome a letter is, now that dear brother 



198 ONE woman's mission, 

S. is gone. You have seen very little of 
S. I hope, when you see more of him, 
you will not think he has lost by his resi- 
dence here. He is a dear, good brother. 
I feel his loss. He is one of the very 
few who can live unsullied amid pollu- 
tions — I mean comparatively. He prayed 
much, and read the Scriptures much, which 
were his safeguards. I have got the July 
Magazine, and am pained to read that 
men cannot be found for the missionary 
field. 

''November 6. To Mrs. Buel, then in 
Malta. Mr. Charteris has just been here, 
and given me a note from Mrs. Arnold. 
What sad accounts from Athens! — cholera 
raging in the town, the inhabitants, panic- 
struck, leaving it by thousands, and poor 
Mr. Black's only remaining son a victim.* 

* The mother of this promising young man — who had 
just completed his studies at the Malta Protestant College 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 199 

Mr. Hill, too, is quite ill, and Mr. Arnold 
read the burial service at the grave of 
young Black. O, who can tell the heart- 
rendings of that bereaved family ! nor of 
that alone ; many are suflfering. This is 
a time of no common calamity. , Every- 
where the judgments of God are manifest. 
That awful war (in the Crimea) is cutting 
down thousands, and sending them unpre- 
pared into a solemn eternity. The loss 
of the Arctic steamer, too, is another awful 
calamity to many families. How gracious 
the Providence that watched over our 
friends, and made it necessary for them 
to take another vessel ! 

"Mrs. A. says some of their neighbors 

— was the lady to whom, in her youth, Lord Byron ad- 
dressed his well-known verses, " Maid of Athens, ere we 
part," &c. An older brother had died of fever not very 
long before. Among the other victims of this terrible 
pestilence were the widow of Marco Botsaris, and the 
youngest daughter of the Rev. Dr. Jonas King. 



200 ONE woman's mission, 

have died of the disease. It has now come 
much nearer to them than ever before. 
The Lord preserve them all in the midst 
of it. Thomas's letter is written in a very 
good spirit. He feels that God's protect- 
ing arm can be over them, even in the 
midst of it. O that the visitation may be 
deeply sanctified to them all, and that all 
our dear friends may be prepared for the 
results of this fell destro3^er ! You, my 
dear sister, and your dear husband, were 
preserved in the midst of it, and now you 
are mercifully removed from it. O, pray 
earnestlj' for the exposed and the bereaved, 
that God's judgments may not be lost upon 
those who are the subjects of them. There 
seems to be little doubt about Mr. and 
Mrs. Arnold's sroino^ to America in the 
spring ; and if spared, I fully intend go- 
ing to Athens in March, as Mrs. A. says 
they do not intend coming by Corfu. I 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 201 

feel a little anxious to know the decision 
of the Board with regard to the mission. 
I rejoice with you, dearest Mrs. B., on 
the recovery of your dear husband : may 
it he so complete, that a visit to America 
will not be necessary. I fear it would be 
a signal for the breaking up of the mis- 
sion. But our trust is in God. I read 
with much interest, in the Magazine, the 
account of your and Mrs. Arnold's visit 
to Corinth. Do you hear anything from 
them? It seems hard to give them up, 
and hear no more from them, after one 
has felt so interested in them. The Lord 
lead them into all truth.'' 

Several allusions in the above letter re- 
quire explanation. The cholera broke out 
in Athens, near the end of October, 1854, 
and raged violently for six or seven weeks, 
carrying off about fifteen hundred persons, 
in a population reduced, by the flight of 



202 ONE woman's mission, 

a large portion of the people, to about 
twelve thousand souls. During the pre- 
vious summer, the cholera had made great 
ravages among the English and French 
troops at the Piraeus, where Mr. and. 
Mrs. Buel were then living. It did not 
break out in Athens until several weeks 
after it had ceased to rage at the Piraeus, 
although the distance between the two 
places is only five miles. In the mean 
time, Mr. Buel's failing health had made 
it necessary for him and Mrs. B. to go 
to Malta for the winter. 

The friends referred to in connection 
with the loss of the Arctic were Mrs. 
Arnold's mother, and Mrs. and Miss King, 
the wife and daughter of the well-known 
missionary. They were on the way to 
America, and would have taken passage 
in the Arctic, if they had not been unex- 
pectedly delayed in Malta. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 203 

"December 9. Mrs. Baker called, and 
asked me to go with her to hear Mr. 
Inuess : she had never heard him. The 
text was, 'The faith once delivered to the 
saints.' He showed himself a true son of 
the church : the whole drift of it was to 
guard us against depending too much upon 
our own private judgments in matters of 
faith. It is to the church we must refer, 
that church that was in exact and perfect 
accordance with the primitive one estab- 
lished by the apostles, &c. I was disap- 
pointed and grieved ; and yet I ought to 
have expected just such teaching from 
such a source. Mrs. B. did not like it ; 
but Mr. T. thought it excellent ; said it 
was much better to have an assembly of 
good men judge for us than to depend 
on our own private judgment. O, how 
thankful I felt that I was free of such 
trammels ! I would like to ask him if an 



204 ONE woman's mission, 

assembly of good men are to believe for 
us ; if so, where is our responsibility, every- 
where recognized in the Bible ? " 

The following letter, written in March, 
1855, partly from Corfu, and partly from 
Athens, records her feelings in regard to the 
conversion, baptism, and marriage of her 
only son. The answer to many earnest 
prayers, the fulfilment of many anxious 
hopes, came at last. The letter is addressed 
to Mrs. Anderson, in London. 

"Corfu, March 2. . . . But I hasten to en- 
ter upon a subject far more interesting, and 
that regards my dear Thomas. You, who 
have prayed, and wept, and hoped over a dear 
brother, can easily understand ray feelings, 
when prayers and tears are turned into joy, 
from the conviction that the dear subject of 
them has been renewed in Christ Jesus. 
O, my sister, language cannot describe what I 
felt last Lord's day, on receiving a letter from 



1 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 205 

him, full of self-loathing, deep penitence, 
and an ardent desire to put on Christ by 
baptism. If Mr. Arnold is satisfied, he will 
be baptized before his marriage. You will 
be surprised to hear of his marriage ; hardly 
more so than I was when I first heard of it. 
The excellent character of the young person 
of his choice has more than reconciled me to 
the marriage. She is the fourth daughter 
of an English gentleman, who came to this 
country many years ago. At his death, a 
few years since, the daughters were boarded 
at a school kept by a particular friend of 
mine. The two eldest have married since 
then. When this school was broken up, the 
three younger girls were sent to Mrs. Hill's 
school, in Athens. Ellen, although not the 
eldest of the three, became a teacher. She 
was taken, Mrs. H. says, on my recommen- 
dation. How little I then knew of her 
being destined for the future wife of my son. 



206 ONE woman's mission, 

Dr. and Mrs. Hill say, she is decidedly 
pious. I could write a long letter, enumerat- 
ing her virtues, as I have heard them ; but 
I will rather wait for actual observation and 
better acquaintance, when I hope the good 
opinion of many will be realized." 

"Athens, March 8. I arrived here yes- 
terday morning, after a pleasant voyage of 
two days, and found all well. Ellen, the 
intended bride, spent the day with us. She 
is a sweet girl, so composed, so self-pos- 
sessed, so pretty ; but I forgot I was not 
to say any more about her till after better 
acquaintance. Thomas looks quite happy. 
We had a sweet talk last evening, after 
all had retired, in reference to his bap- 
tism. How changed ! He grasped my hand 
with much affection, and said, ^O, mother, 
if I should be mistaken ! ' If you or Mr. 
Anderson should see Mr. and Mrs. Arnold 
in London, they will be able to tell you 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 207 

about it. A Greek has applied for bap- 
tism, and has given good evidence of 
being a Christian : perhaps he and Thomas 
will be baptized together. 

"So many interesting things are crowd- 
ed into so short a space, that it is rather 
bewildering : the dear Arnolds' prepara- 
tions for leaving Greece ; the Buels having 
just returned from Malta, where they spent 
the winter on account of Mr. B.'s health; 
and the wedding, — all occurring within one 
short month, — make somewhat of a hurry ; 
yet there seems great composure and great 
happiness." 

Mr. Dickson was baptized on Sunday, 
March 11, and married on Tuesday, 
March 20. Mrs. D. left Athens for Cor- 
fu on Friday, March 23. On Wednes- 
day, the 28th, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold left 
Athens for Marseilles, on their way to the 
United States, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Buel 



208 ONE woman's mission, 

in Athens, to continue their missionary 
work. The question of the discontinuance 
of the mission was then under discussion, 
but was not decided until several months 
later. 

In Mrs. Dickson's first letter to Athens, 
after her return to Corfu, she says, — 

"The happy three weeks I spent with 
you all has left such an impression on 
my mind as to produce some regret that the 
time was not lengthened, as you most kind- 
ly desired. Well, here I am at my usual 
post, among my kind friends and very 
dear girls. They all seemed so pleased to 
see me again, that it ought to have made 
me thankful; and yet, somehow, I felt 
not much unlike a school-girl who had 
greatly enjoyed her vacation, and did not 
feel like taking to her books and schgol 
duties again. Of course the feeling will 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 209 

wear off; but it is the first time I have 
been sensible of it in this country." 

The following extract is from her first 
letter to her children after her return to 
Corfu : — 

" It was not till after I came home that 
I could realize the difference between the 
dull monotony of my daily work, together 
with the perfect stillness of my own cham- 
ber, in contrast with the bright hilarity, 
joyous faces, and sweet intercourse of the 
last few weeks. It has all passed like a 
gay dream ; the first part of it deeply im- 
pressive, involving eternal destinies ; the 
second part buoyant with hope, and joy- 
ous with felt delight in the realization of 
long-cherished expectations. How good 
God is in making all the circumstances — 
and such a combination of them, too, — to 
suit, and to come out so well, so that there 
was no jarring, no disappointment, even 
14 



210 ONE woman's mission, 

of a trivial kind, to mar the beauty of 
the scene ! Much of all this was owing 
to dear Mrs. Buel's excellent management, 
and kind, considerate attentions. The 
kindness of friends in not only supplying 
your wants, but in adding to the occasion 
all the beauty, vivacity, and etiquette, that 
made it so imposing, was to my mind an- 
other proof of the gracious character of 
God, as the Helper of the fatherless. (Ps. 
X. 14.) O, my dear children, walk worthy 
of the high vocation to which you are 
called, and to which you have given your- 
selves, in professing to follow Christ, your 
great Leader. O, study his example, and 
you will see how unselfish he was, how 
he lived only for others, how he bore 
contumely and reproach, never rendering 
railing for railing. It may seem difficult 
to follow Jesus in such things ; but if we 
have not the spirit of Christ we are none 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 211 

of his. To the care of the Great Shep- 
herd I commend you both." 

April 27, 1855, she writes to Mrs. 
Biiel,— 

'^ Siuce my visit to you all, I seem to 
be in Athens more than in Corfu. A visit 
of more unsullied pleasure I probably 
never made. This, contrasted with the 
uncomfortable voyage home, and the sick- 
ness that followed, accompanied as it was 
with such depression that I could see 
nothing in myself for satisfaction, but on 
the contrary, self-loathing, — these, and oth- 
er things, threw back my thoughts to the 
happy scenes I had just left. I seem to 
see you much more vividly now, flitting 
about, adjusting and retouching everything, 
with the energy of youth, a kind smile to 
one, and an encouraging word to another, 
until all was completed with so much pro- 
priety and taste. Do not think, dearest 



212 ONE woman's mission, 

Mrs. B., that I am set down to flatter 
you ; no, but I wish you to use these very 
gifts for the promotion — shall I say? — of 
the glory of God. Yes, I will. Does it 
not glorify the great Giver of all to see his 
gifts well applied?" 

On the 2d of June she writes to her chil- 
dren in regard to the disappointment of 
their expectation of visiting her in Corfu, — 

"You feel this to be trying, I am sure 
you do ; but, as it seems to be the will of 
God, you will both acquiesce in it as the 
best. And, happy, very happy, as I would 
be to see you both, I would rather exercise 
patience and wait God's time ; and you will 
acknowledge how much sweeter and better 
is the blessing marked with his favor. 

"O, my dear children, how much I love 
to think of all the way he huth led me in 
the wilderness these many }' ears ! It is 
probably not the way I would have chosen, 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 213 

for trials have been in the way. Sometimes 
the stream of creature comfort has been 
dried up, at other times it has run bitter; 
but all is well — it has been the right way. 

'^ I remember, about the time we had been 
two years in this country, I took such a 
longing to go home it seemed to absorb 
everything else. I had a little boy I wished 
to show to father and mother ; and then the 
delight to have them listenino^ to all the ac- 
counts of our foreign life! and I would see 
the tears start to dear mother's eyes when 
she heard how we were provided for, how 
friends were raised up, how help came just 
in time of need, &c., &c. But this fine 
dream never was realized. It w^as a selfish 
thing ; it had to finish its cogitations in the 
same bosom that had raised them. I do 
not know that it was altogether sel6sh ; it 
had some reference to the feelings of my 
dear mother, to whom I promised to return 



214 ONE woman's mission, 

in a few years, if it was possible for me to 
do so. I did return, but not at the time I 
wished ; and I never saw dear mother. I 
have told you this story about myself that 
you may see nothing uncommon has hap- 
pened to you, and nothing very, severe 
either. You are happy in each other, and 
happy, too, I hope, in the favor and bless- 
ing of the Lord, which maketh rich, and he 
addeth no sorrow with it." 

The extract which follows is from a letter 
written to Mrs. Buel, July 6, in answer to 
one announcing the decision to abandon the 
Greek mission : — 

" Many thanks for your last letter, written 
in haste, and announcing that which ought 
not to have taken me by surprise, and which 
nevertheless had a subduing and somewhat 
sad effect upon my spirits. The thought of 
you and Mr. B. leaving Athens, and dear 
Thomas and Ellen being thus deprived of 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 215 

their best friends, is enough of itself to 
make your going cause of regret. But this 
is not the only cause ; there are much graver 
considerations in the fact that in a mission- 
ary's removal light is removed, influence is 
removed, and, in the striking language of 
Scripture, ' the candlestick' is removed ; and 
what are we to expect for this people? O, 
I sigh when I think of it. It is Bacon, I 
believe, who says that ^Hope makes a good 
breakfast, but a bad supper.' It is supper- 
time with the Greek mission, and there is 
little to feed hope on, when I contrast this 
with the buoyancy of feeling and interest 
felt in the nation thirty years ago. That 
was the hoping time, and for long after. 
Still, though appearances are very discour- 
aging, we have the promises of a faithful 
God to rely on. 

" With regard to myself, I can easily see 
why so little fruit has followed efforts in 



216 ONE woman's mission, 

some measure conscientiously made. There 
has been an inadequacy of means to the end. 

" O, I hope Thomas and Ellen will be 
more successful in their efforts to do good. 
They have what I never had — a good 
knowledge of the language, and thus their 
facilities for being useful are greatly pro- 
moted." 

About three weeks later she writes to her 
children, — 

" I cannot say that the news has taken me 
by surprise, and yet I feel that important 
consequences to us all will be the result. 
But how gracious the providence thus to 
* temper the wind to the shorn lamb ' ! 

"The same post that brought me the re- 
fusal of the house-rent assures me of your 
appointment.* I rejoice in it, and congrat- 

* Mr. Dickson had just received the appointment from 
the government of Professor of the English Language in 
the Gymnasia of Athens — a position which he still holds. 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 217 

ulate you both. We do not receive any- 
thing until we really need it, and then it 
comes marked with wisdom and love. O, 
what a good God we serve ! 

" These circumstances put me in mind of 
former days, when your father and I were 
about to be deprived of the convent from 
which we had part of our support. We 
had been hoping and fearing for weeks how 
the balance would turn, when the same mail 
which brought us information that it was 
lost to us gave your father an appointment 
in Zante ; and, although that appointment 
led to most distressing circumstances in our 
history, yet it was no less the gift of God. 
' " I hope, dearest, this appointment will 
come to you with the Divine blessing, and 
that you will be enabled to act in all things 
as one that has to give in his account at the 
great white throne. O, I am glad, not only 
that you are in a great measure provided 



218 ONE woman's mission, 

for, but it will keep you both for some time 
longer in this country. You and Sakella- 
rius may be useful to the Greeks, although 
less officially than missionaries, yet, with 
God's blessing, not le§s really." 
August 11, she writes to her son, — 
" I made a great effort yesterday to finish 
grandfather's shoes, that I might have some- 
thing, however little, to mark your birth- 
day ; but I did not succeed. I got up early, 
and wrote to Melbourne ; then the day was 
excessively hot. In the evening I expected 
Miss S. Later in the evening I went to 
walk in the college garden, where I met Mr. 
and Mrs. Charteris ; had a friendly chat, 
and many good washes were expressed for 
your welfare and a long life, and I mentally 
added, and a useful one. Thus the day 
passed, every interval tilled up working at 
the shoe ; but there it lies, unfinished. But 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 219 

to-day shall see the last stitch put in, every 
one of which I have done myself. 

"8 P.M. — The shoes are finished, and 
put away among the other things for Scot- 
land. I hope you will succeed in getting at 
least one marble for dear Miss Anderson.* 
If she remembered yesterday, some suppli- 
cations would arise to the Throne on your 
behalf, and these ought to be mingled with 
thanksgiving. 

"What a year of mercies you have just 
completed ! First, if not in point of time, 
in point of importance, was your call out 
of a state of darkness into marvellous light. 
And what does that imply? That is more 
than I can tell you, dearest, but it does im- 
ply grace and glory : for the maintenance 



* This refers to the paper-weights of Pentelican mar- 
ble, usuaUy with some classic ruin painted on the surface, 
which are so commonly sought by travellers as souvenirs 
of Greece. 



220 ONE woman's mission, 

and manifestation of the first, you must be 
a good soldier of Jesus Christ; and for in- 
heriting the last, you must endure to the 
end, and then you will be crowned lawfully. 
But who is sufficient for these things ? Who 
can endure temptation, and not fall before 
it? Who can live in a tainted moral atmos- 
phere, and not be infected? None but those 
who live near to God, who are daily draw- 
ing strength from Him in whom all fulness 
dwells, and who has said, ^My strength 
shall be made perfect in weakness.' 

" Do not wonder, my dear Thomas, that 
my letters partake so much of the admoni- 
tory tone. It is not so much that I fear a 
failure on j^our part as that I wish to warn 
you from my own failures. Ah ! some of 
these have cost me sleepless nights and bit- 
ter tears ; and, now that you have begun 
the Christian race, I wish your course to 
be bright, onward, and successful — sue- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 221 

cessful in winning others to the glorious 
conflict. 

" The second important event of the year 
I know you have anticipated me in ; and 
the bright eye and quiet smile of dear Ellen 
show that she understands it, too. Long 
may you live together as heirs of this grace 
of life, and thus manifest that it was the 
favor of God that brought you together ! 

"The third is, the merciful provision made 
for your wants, indicating the will of God 
to keep you in Athens some time longer. 
This last looks with a ver^^ benign aspect 
towards me, and I bless God for it. Had 
you gone to America, it is probable I would 
not have said anything against it ; but I 
would have felt that it was parting vvith 
you for life, and I was not quite prepared 
for that, and a gracious Providence saved 
me this pang. Can I help being grateful 
to so good a God? And not only this, but 



222 ONE woman's mission, 

there is the hope of 3^011 and dear Ellen 
being made useful to the Greeks, and so 
redeeming the pledge your poor mother 
gave more than thirty yeai's ago. If not 
in my own person, yet in the person of my 
son and daughter, some great good may be 
done; and a promise made long ago, which 
was a comfort to me, may now be realized 
— ^ You shall see greater things than these.' 
"It may please God to do what he has 
often done before — choose the weak things 
of the world to confound the mighty, that 
no flesh should glory in his presence. When 
I took up my pen just now, however, it was 
to follow up some touching remarks you 
made about your dear father. On the very 
day of your birth, he took you in his arms 
and said, ^ Perhaps this same shall comfort 
us concerning our work, and the toil of our 
hands.' That father did not live to realize 
the full meaning of these words. Your in- 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 223 

fautile prattle and childish mirth pleased 
him. He loved his little boy. But how 
much would his heart have danced for joy 
had he lived to see the change, and hear 
the accents of prayer and praise from this 
wanderer returned to his Father's house, 
and to his father's God ! If angels rejoice 
over a repentant sinner, why may not saints 
in glory? And your dear father's heart 
may have received an additional thrill of 
gladness at the happy news. Indeed, he 
may have witnessed it ; he may now be an 
observant spectator of your actions : but of 
this we must speak sparingly, for the Scrip- 
tures are silent. But the hope of meeting 
with our beloved Christian friends is held 
out for our comfort and encouragement.'* 



224 ONE woman's mission. 



CHAPTER VII. 

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. 

*;i|rHE decision to abandon the Greek 
^2^3 mission has already been put on 
record. This decision was the re- 
sult of the embarrassed state of the finances 
of the Missionary Union, and not of any 
discouragement on the part of the mission- 
aries, who did what they could to avert the 
fatal decision. 

In the autumn of 1855, Mr. and Mrs. 
Buel returned to the United States. Mrs. 
Dickson continued her school through the 
winter, in much weakness of hod}', and sur- 
rounded. by very depressing circumstances. 
The cholera visited Corfu, and hurried many 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 225 

into eternity. It was not, however, quite 
so extensive in its ravages as it had been 
in Athens the year before. 

Mrs. D. decided to visit England and 
Scotland in the spring, partly for the much- 
needed iuvigoration of her health, and partly 
to make arrangements, if possible, for the 
continuance of her school, which was no 
longer to be supported by the American 
Baptist Missionary Union. She ceased to 
draw her salary from the treasury of the 
Union from March, 1855. Some contribu- 
tion towards defraying the expenses of the 
school was, however, obtained, through the 
efforts of the returned missionaries, from 
friends in the United States. To this she 
alludes, in a letter to Mr. Arnold dated 
February 6, 1856: — 

" I have had a letter from Mrs. Buel, in 
which she says she has seen Dr. Williams, 
and that something had been collected to- 
15 



226 ONE woman's mission, 

wards school rent, and more would be yet, 
but time was required. What I wish to 
say is, that one hundred dollars yearly will 
be quite suflScient. You kindly mentioned 
more, but I do not wish more. I feel as if 
I ought not to receive anything from Ameri- 
can Baptist brethren, if there was any fear 
of depriving the treasury of even a dollar 
of it. 

" Mr. Charteris's letter, published in the 
Presbyterian Messenger, about the school, 
brought a letter from Lady Verney to in- 
quire what can be done to maintain the 
school in its present state of efficiency. 
Mr. C, in reply, told her that I intended 
to discontinue the school during the sum- 
mer months, and go to Scotland ; that, if 
she wished it, there might be an opportu- 
nity to converse on the subject while in 
England. Whether this will produce any- 
thing or not, I do not know. It will, I am 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 227 

sure, be all well ordered, if we can only act 
well in it. 

The school is doing remarkably well — 
above forty in attendance. The scholars 
have almost all returned since the cholera, 
and the Christmas holidays, and many new 
ones have sought admission. I said to one 
the other day, who was very anxious to 
come to school, — 

" ' Do your friends know that in less than 
two months the school will be closed?' 

"^O, yes,' she said; ^if it were only for 
one month, they will be glad if you will 
take me.' 

'^ The next day a father brought his little 
daughter. I told him the same tale, and 
added I could not take any more. He said 
he was very sorry. I repeated the same 
regret, but did not yield. 

" There will be some tears shed at the 
time of breaking up, and the most bitter 



228 ONE woman's mission, 

ones will be of regret for lost opportuni- 
ties, for ill-fiilfilled duties, and, in conse- 
quence, for no cheering results. Still I 
cling to my work, and ask God that the 
latter end may greatly increase. I know, 
my dear Mr. A., that you will ask for this, 
that wicked and withered Corfu may be 
pitied and blessed. O, how much we need 
a revival ! 

" I think I know something of the happy 
feeling of contentment expressed in your 
last for past, present, and future mercies ; 
and we really have the hope of meeting on 
the heavenly hills, and recounting, not the 
labors of our feet, but the mercies of our 
pardoning God ; and perhaps we shall know 
better then why the Greek mission has 
failed to be among the fields which God 
has blessed." 

Mrs. D. left Corfu for England on the 
3d of May, and reached Corfu, on her 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 229 

return, on the 4th of October. Her health 
broke down completely before she started 
on this journey, so that she was obliged to 
close her school abruptly. In a letter writ- 
ten to her friends in America while on her 
voyage, she refers to this informal closing 
of the school as making it much less sad 
and trying for her than it would have been 
if she had been able to be present at the 
breaking up ; recognizes the goodness of 
God in making her duty plainer by this 
utter failure of her strength ; and gratefully 
records the kindness of her Corfu friends, 
especially the Rev. Mr. Charteris, and Mr. 
and Mrs. Taylor. Much regret was ex- 
pressed at the dismission of the school, and 
three other schools at once started out of it. 
"On the last day of packing up, I was 
gladdened by the reception of the parcel so 
kindly sent by you, containing the papers, 
magazines. Dr. Hackett's book, and the 



230 ONE woman's mission, 

books frorD the Tract Society. Dr. H.'s 
book I shall value. Mr. Charteris wished 
me to leave it with him in the mean time. 
I took with me the Messengers, and have 
been much interested; indeed, I have read 
them almost all twice over. It is an excel- 
lent paper. I have been debating with my- 
self whether to leave them on board, or take 
them with me to Scotland. If I knew where 
a blessing would light, there they should go. 
The Child's Paper was received with glad- 
ness, and parcelled out for distribution. I 
have taken two copies with me for the chil- 
dren of my two nieces. 

"May 16. Yesterday we passed the rock 
of Gibraltar, which brought vividly to mind 
that nearly twent:j^-nine years ago I had 
stood upon it with my dear husband. What 
changes since then ! And here 1 am once 
more, seeking rest and refreshment in my 
dear native land. Not that I wish to go 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 231 

there to spend my days. O, no. I have 
no wish, nor ever had, to desert my post; 
and now I have a double tie to it. Dear 
Thomas and his amiable wife are a source 
of comfort and thanksgiving to God." 

On her passage from Liverpool to Glas- 
gow, the steamer, crowded with passengers, 
struck on a rock near Port Patrick, about 
four o'clock on a foggy morning. The pas- 
sengers all escaped in boats to the rocky 
shore, where she had 'Ho scramble on hands 
and feet." They found a small fisherman's 
hut, where they were warmed and fed ; and 
soon a steamer came in sight, and took 
them all to Glasgow. 

"I recovered all my things, though many 
of the passengers did not, who were far 
abler to look after them. What shall I 
render to my Lord for all his benefits to- 
wards me ? " 



232 ONE woman's mission, 

The wrecked steamer was given up to the 
underwriters. 

On her return to Corfu, Mrs. Dickson 
took with her a Miss Barton, from Edin- 
burgh, to assist her in the school. She re- 
opened her school on the 10th of November, 
with fifteen scholars the first day. Of the 
three schools started when hers was dis- 
missed six months before, none had been 
successful. Two had been entirely given 
up, and the third had only six or eight 
scholars. 

In a letter to Mr. Arnold, dated November 
22, 1856, she recounts the success of her ef- 
forts to obtain help for the school, both 
personal and pecuniary. Her first applica- 
tion was to Dr. Paterson, of Glasgow, who 
promised to do something for the school. 

"When I got to Edinburgh, among my 
own friends, it was delightful to tell them 
all about the school. They inquired what 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 233 

I wished done. I told them if I could get a 
dear young sister, one whose heart the Lord 
had touched, to go with me, we would soon 
have a good school. They assured me that 
if I could find such a person they would 
support her. I then told them that I had 
been promised house-rent from America. 
After several applications and several fail- 
ures, I trust the Lord has led us to the 
right person — a sweet young sister, so ami- 
able, so active, so kind-hearted; indeed, I 
am astonished at the goodness and care of 
our heavenly Father in so providing for and 
comforting his poor, unworthy servant. . . . 
Lady Verney has not forgotten the school, 
but has been the means of raising up new 
friends to it in London. 

"I was received everywhere, not as a 
stranger, but as a well-known friend. A 
day or two after I reached London, I was 
invited to meet with the Committee for 



234 ONE woman's mission, 

Promoting Education in the East. I told 
them the story of the suspended school, as 
I had done previously in Scotland. Twenty- 
five pounds was voted for Miss Barton's pas- 
sage, &c. ; and two rich cases of made 
dresses, chiefly children's, were given me 
for sale in Corfu in behalf of the school. 

'' I must tell you some of my personal ad- 
ventures in London and the neighborhood. 
I saw Mrs. and Colonel Benn at Woolwich, 
after four pressing invitations. Miss Wad- 
ams, now Mrs. Kalvo, came three times to 
see me. Indeed, it was almost quite a farce 
to see such a fussing about poor me. I was 
more amused than flattered by it. But I 
was pleased by the kind attentions of some 
— the Forster family, Lady Verney and her 
sister Miss Hope, and dear Miss Anderson, 
who came to London for the express pur- 
pose of being useful. She went about with 
me everywhere. While in England I hail 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 235 

a letter fi-om one of my Greek girls, which 
was very much thought of by those to 
whom I showed it. Since our return, this 
girl seems unusually attentive to the Bible 
lesson." 

In a letter written to Mr. Anderson, 
January 22, 1857, she gives the following 
account of the death of an interesting little 
child, a daughter of one of her former 
pupils. 

" We have been much interested here in 
the death of Mrs. Taylor's youngest daugh- 
ter, a bright child of five years. You 
know Mrs. T. was baptized by Mr. A. 
several years ago, and both she and I, my- 
• self, suffered much in consequence. She 
afterwards married, and now has three 
children. In her visits to me, she often 
spoke of her children, and of remarks 
made by them, which indicated attention 
to her instructions, especially by the young- 



236 ONE woman's mission, 

est. This dear child was taken ill of heart 
complaint about seven months ago, and 
suffered through all this tedious time, night 
and day, with remarkable patience. I can 
only give you a little idea of her last days 
in her mother's words, extracted from a 
letter to Mr. A. She says, ' Hattie was 
a most affectionate child ; could never suf- 
fer me to be a moment out of her sight, 
day or night. She talked much of Jesus 
and heaven. The night before she died 
she passed in prayer, calling upon Jesus 
to have pity on her, and not on her only, 
but on all those who were suffering pain ; 
"and make me," she said, "O Jesus, a 
child of thine : keep me from Satan ; give 
rest to my body, and patience under my 
sufferings. Don't cry, papa : don't cry, 
mamma, my beloved, my darling mamma. 
I want to go to heaven ; but do come with 
me. I cannot leave you." She then said, 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 237 

" You don't know how great my pain is ; 
still, it is not like Jesus'. I have no nails 
in my hands, and no blood down my fore- 
head." After a pause, she repeated a 
beautiful hymn, then prayed to Jesus to 
forgive her sins, and asked me most ear- 
nestly if I thought she would go to heaven. 
She spoke of her body going to dust, and 
a new body, that would not require medi- 
cines, would be given her in heaven: "and 
don't forget," she said, "that you all must 
leave this world; and, dear mamma, never 
forget to read your Bible before going to 
bed." Towards the close, when her suf- 
ferings were very great, her mother offered 
up a short prayer. When she ceased, the 
dear child said, " Go on, dear mamma ; I 
like to hear it; ask more." Her voice and 
eyes were clear and collected to. the very 
last; and as I was fixing a cushion at her 



238 ONE woman's mission, 

back, she grasped my hand, closed her 
eyes, and died.'" 

Mrs. D. was able, not without consid- 
erable difficulty from limited resources, to 
carry the school through the year. lu 
November, 1857, she writes to her former 
co-laborers, acknowledging timely help from 
America : — 

"I have but just got the money, and 
hasten to acknowledge it, and to thank 
you for it. At no time previous could it 
have been so acceptable, as at no previous 
time was it so much needed. Again we 
see that the Lord's time is the best time, 
and as his gift I receive it, not forgetting 
the dear brother who sent it. When we 
returned from Scotland a j^ear ago, some 
pious ladies in London sent a number of 
articles for a bazaar, and although these 
did not realize what was expected, yet 
they helped the rent, and your gift will 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 239 

settle the first year. I have just received 
another box from Loudon, which, if it 
sells well, will go a great way for the 
rent of next year." 

In the summer of this year, the wife 
of Mr. Thomas Dickson died in Athens, 
leaving an infant daughter. The little 
orphan was brought to Corfu, and with 
its nurse. formed part of Mrs. D.'s house- 
hold. 

In a letter to Eev. Mr. Anderson, of 
Edinburgh, she laments the want of Chris- 
tian fellowship. She then refers to the 
remarkable revivals in the United States, 
and adds, — 

" May they be renewed in our own hap- 
py land, and may we^ too, be sharers in 
the general joy. But I fear this may not 
be in my time ; but I am looking forward 
to a place where there will be no need of 
revivals, where there will be an ever-deep- 



240 ONE woman's mission, » 

ening interest in redeeming love, where 
there will be no fear of a relapse into cold- 
ness, and where there will be no disap- 
pointment arising from failure or back- 
sliding." 

The school was much reduced in num- 
bers during the summer of 1858. This 
was partly owing to the arrival of three 
nuns, who established a school under the 
patronage of the Propaganda, In writing 
to the Rev. Mr. Anderson, under date 
December 4, she says, — 

"Though the number in the school is 
not great, the progress is very satisfactory, 
of which we had a pleasing pvoof yester- 
day, in the application of one of the schol- 
ars to be taken as a boarder, her friends 
saying, that, as she had made such good 
progress under Miss Barton, thoy wished 
her to be taken into the house altogether. 
This, of course, we could not do, nor 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 241 

would it be worth while for the short 
time the school will be in existence. I 
cannot allude to its being given up with- 
out feeling sad, and nothing but necessity, 
and the evident indication of God's will, 
could reconcile me to it. Thomas wishes 
me to go to Athens, and if I could hea,r 
that voice say, ^ My presence shall go with 
you, and I will give you rest,^ gladly would 
I follow such a guide." 

The following incident, recorded in a 
letter to Mrs. Anderson, written in Jan- 
uary, 1859, will serve to show that hon- 
esty is not confined to those who live out- 
side of Greece : — 

"There is a little circumstance, connect- 
ed with the last newspaper sent by Mr. An- 
derson to us, that I must mention : — 

" A friend of Mr. Sakellarius, a Greek 
printer here, is kind and useful to us, tak- 
ing our letters to and from the post, &c. 

ir> 



242 ONE woman's mission, 

He took with him the last paper, not 
having time to deliver it to us, but sent 
a boy in his employ, who, on the way, saw 
something drop from it : he picked it up, 
and found, wrapped in a small piece of 
paper, a four-shilling gold piece. He 
folded it up again, and slipped it in. He 
gave the paper to me, and all unconscious 
of gold being within, I opened to read. 
I did not see the piece, and again it slipped 
out. Some hours after, I found it on the 
floor, could not tell where it came from, 
called Miss Barton ; she could throw no 
light on it. Just now, friend Antonio has 
called, and inquired if I had got a piece 
of money with the paper : this led to ex- 
planations, whi^h resulted in sending the 
boy the money as a reward for his hon- 
esty. We do not know how it got within 
the paper, and we could make no inqui- 
ries about it. We are very much pleased 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 243 

with such an instance of honesty in a 
Greek I}()3^ He has a good master, who 
is also a Greek, and has no doul^t profited 
by our dear brother Sakellarius, who was 
his printer, and who lived in his house 
while in Corfu." 

In a letter to Mr. Anderson, dated Jan- 
uary 29, 1859, Mrs. Dickson makes the 
following reference to the political and re- 
ligious state of the Ionian Islands : — 

^^ The town is in a state of great excite- 
ment. The Governor and his family have 
left. The Parliament sat the same day, 
and on the following day agreed in the 
resolution that these Islands be annexed to 
Greece. Illuminations followed, first of 
the Parliament House and many of the 
churches, and the next night of many of 
the private houses, thus giving expression 
to their joy at the hope of being able to 
rule themselves. What will come out of 



244 ONE woman's mission, 

all this remains to be seen ; but it shows 
us our duty still more plainly. Why should 
my mind cling to a place so disaffected, so 
opposed to every ray of light, and so de- 
termined to hold fast the superstitions of 
ages, and call them the true orthodox 
faith? It is true we have received much 
kindness from individuals among them, 
who seem to appreciate, in some measure, 
the value of the education their children 
have received, and are receiving; and 
some few wdll miss us ; but this is not 
true of the majority. 

"Now, my dear sir, I must speak about 
myself. I am ashamed that you should 
think of sending me anything. You do 
not know how^ unworthy I feel myself to 
be. I am almost tempted to tell you a 
dream I had thirty years ago, just w^hen 
entering upon the work here. I dreamed 
that I was very anxious to do a little 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 245 

work for the Lord, ever so little, but let 
it be of the Lord's appointing. I thought 
that about a square yard of ground was 
given me to clean, and I entered upon 
the task with joy. But after laboring with 
feet and hands to clear the spot, it seemed 
to grow worse. I toiled on and on, but 
made no progress. I felt discouraged, but 
never shrank from the dut}^ I loved it 
because it was given me to do ; but after 
a long time of the same fruitless labor, 
I looked more particularly to see what was 
the impediment, when, to my utter dis- 
may, I saw that the filth I had just cleaned 
away came back upon my own feet, and 
that all my clothes were tainted with its 
odor. I cried out, ' Instead of cleaning 
the piece of ground assigned me, I my- 
self am made filthy by the contact.' This 
view of the case so humbled me. that I 
made a few desperate efforts, but soon 



24 G ONE woman's mission, 

sank in despair. While in the act of fall- 
ing, I felt myself upheld on each side by 
two worthy men, one of whom said, ^You 
have forgotten to look up.' I looked up, 
and saw in golden letters in the skies, 
' There his servants shall serve him.' Then 
I cried out again with amazement and de- 
light. My dear brother, do not smile at 
this because it is a dream. It has become 
a reality, and the lesson it teaches will go 
with me to the grave." 

About the first of May of this year 
(1859), Mrs. Dickson finally gave up her 
school in Corfu. It had been declining 
in interest and in numbers ever since the 
establishment of the school under the pat- 
ronage of the Propaganda. The number 
of scholars was reduced to less than a 
score, and there was no prospect of in- 
crease. The school closed with a pleasant 
entertainment, with which the kindness of 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 247 

friends in England enabled her to indulge 
her scholars. At the close, after the part- 
ing prayer by the Eev. Mr. Charteris, 
when they were putting on their bonnets 
to go, several of the larger girls burst into 
tears. This unexpected demonstration of 
feeling deeply affected her, and encouraged 
her to hope that her instructions and ad- 
monitions might yet bring forth fruit unto 
salvation, in the case of some at least. A 
little later she speaks of being quite out 
of her element in no lono^er havino^ a 
school, and records the sadness which she 
felt on meeting some of her former schol- 
ars walking out under the care of a nun. 
They greeted her with a pleasant smile of 
recognition, which she could but faintly 
return. Her thoughts were, however, pre- 
vented from dwelling too continuously on 
this painful subject, partly by the out- 
break of the Italian war, and partly by 



248 ONE woman's mission, 

the busy preparations for the marriage of 
her son with Miss Barton. This marriage 
took place in the autumn of 1859, and Mrs. 
Dickson returned with the wedded pair to 
Athens. The only letter written after her 
final departure from Corfu, which has come 
into the hands of the compiler, was begun 
August 29, 1860, at Kaia, a village a few 
miles from Athens, and finished in Athens, 
September 18. It is addressed to Miss 
Anderson. She says, — 

'*I have not been out to church all sum- 
mer, at least since the heat became great. 
But I have real enjoyment in the solitude 
of my own chamber. T have the consola- 
tion of looking forward to a glorioiis fu- 
ture, where, through grace, we shall meet, 
dearest sister, and adore that amazing love 
that wrote our worthless names in Jesus' 
book of life — ' wrote them deep in Im- 
manuel's heart; that heart that bled, was 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 249 

pierced, and burst in twain for me. For 
me, for you, he died, and with his robe 
of spotless righteousness adorns our souls.' 
I have forgotten the remainder of these 
fine lines, that have lain for many years 
in the corner of my memory." 

In a little more than two months from 
the last date of this letter, Mrs. Dickson 
closed her laborious and useful life. She 
died peacefully, after a short illness, at the 
house of her son, in Athens, on the 30th 
of November, 1860, at the age of seventy- 
one. 

The character of this excellent Christian 
woman has been best set forth in the fore- 
going record of her works, and needs no 
elaborate analysis here. One of her most 
intimate friends. Miss Jane Anderson, sums 
up her impression of Mrs. D.'s character- 
istics in the followins: words : — 

" Deep feeling, gi^eat courage, and de- 



250 ONE woman's mission, 

termination of mind towards the one ob- 
ject she set her heart upon, and rare pa- 
tience under trials and opposition." 

Those who associated with her familiarly 
in home life, for six or seven years, are 
constrained to bear emphatic testimony to 
her uniformly consistent Christian deport- 
ment ; to her gravity coupled with cheer- 
fulness, her dignity without affectation, and 
her firmness always tempered with cour- 
tesy. 

Her strong attachment to her work as a 
missionary teacher, even while that work 
was blessed with only the most moderate 
degree of success, was a sure testimony 
that she w^as actuated by Christian princi- 
ple and Christian love, and not by any 
selfish, worldly, or transient impulse. And' 
the stronghold which her school acquired 
and maintained upon a community sadly 
indiflferent, for the most part, to female 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLED IT. 251 

education, is no less a testimony alike to 
her ability and her faithfulness as a teacher. 
She seems to have been more successful 
in winning souls, in her earlier hibors in 
Scotland, than subsequentlj^ as a mission- 
ary teacher. Yet we must not thence in- 
fer that she mistook her calling, or that it 
would have been better if she had spent 
her life in teaching in her native land. It 
seems to have been God's merciful and 
wise plan, as he foresaw her long years 
of toil with little apparent fruit, to pre- 
pare her for that trial and discipline by 
her earlier success. Not only did the 
remembrance of those earlier tokens of 
God's favor towards her school in Scot- 
land cheer her in her* later and less mani- 
festly blessed instructions in Corfu, but 
from time to time, as the preceding pages 
have shown, she received cheering tidings 
of good from some of her earlier scholars, 



252 ONE woman's mission, 

for whom, she seemed at the time to have 
labored in vain. Nor were her later efforts 
by any means fruitless. Her example of 
patient and hopeful fidelity under discour- 
aging circumstances was a constant lesson 
to those associated with her, at the same 
time a rebuke and an encouragement; and 
no doubt many will have everlasting cause 
of thankfulness for her instructions and 
admonitions, in whose characters she was 
not permitted to see any decided religious 
change. Both Jews and Greeks, both 
Scotch and English, from the poor sol- 
dier's daughter to the wife of the rich and 
noble, will rise up and call her blessed. 
May this simple record of her works con- 
tribute, in some humble degree, to extend 
the good influence of her life. 

Her case shows how much good may 
be done by an earnest Christian woman, 
without any extraordinary advantages of 



AND HOW SHE FULFILLF.D IT. 253 

education or position, without any ex- 
traordinary opportunities coming unsought. 
She sought opportunities. She made her 
life one of uncommon usefulness, by the 
uncommon fervor and constancy of her zeal 
in doing good, of her love to the souls of 
her fellow-creatures, and of her gratitude 
to Christ her Redeemer. Who, of her 
Christian sisters, may not go and do like- 
wise? 



APPENDIX. 




^kjJHE folio winor account of several of 
Mrs. Dickson's earlier scholars, re- 
ferred to on pages 18 and 122, was 
prepared for her son, after his jieparture 
from Scotland for America, and is dated 
Corfu, June 19, 1846. 

Thirty years ago I had a flourishing school in 
my father's house in Haddington. One day, 
while engaged in the duties of the school, Dr. 
Lorimer, a clergyman of the Church of Scotland, 
called, and mentioned a distressing circumstance 
which had taken place in the neighborhood. 
The mother of a poor family had shortly before 
died, and the father, who was intemperate, had 
absconded, and left his two children shut up in 

254 



APPENDIX. 255 

the house. Their cries brought assistance, and 
they were soon afterwards boarded with an old 
woman, a distant relation of the family. The de- 
sign of the doctor's visit was to ask if I would 
receive these children into my school. I hesi- 
tated, not that I did not sympathize with these 
poor outcasts, but I questioned the propriety of 
introducing them into the school, as they did not 
seem suitable companions for the other scholars ; 
but the dear doctor pleaded the cause of the poor 
children so effectually, that before he left I prom- 
ised to take them, and do all I could for them. 
They came ; but the neglected appearance of 
their persons, and the almost sullen reserve of 
manner which they showed, made me fear that 
teaching them would not be a very pleasant task. 
The younger was a boy, and therefore unfit for 
my school: he was soon afterwards, at my re- 
quest, removed, and placed in a school more suit- 
able. To his sister, Isabel, I soon became at- 
tached : her reserve gave way to a cheerful, 
though quiet attention to her duties as a scholar. 
Any little attentions that were paid to her were 
received with affectionate gratitude, which showed 
itself more in looks than in language. Her oblig- 
ing manner towards the rest of the scholars won 



256 APPENDIX. 

for her their confidence and love ; yet she never 
seemed to forget that she was favored in having 
such an opportunity of acquiring that which 
might be useful to her in after life. Her man- 
ners were unassuming, and she soon acquired 
habits of diligence and industry, which were 
well suited to her dependent condition in life, 
and secured for her the approbation of the few 
friends she had. 

A considerable time after her admission into 
the school, the old woman, with whom she board- 
ed, called. Almost her first expressions were, 
"O, what a change there is on Bell ! She is so 
industrious, so kind to her brother, and so good 
to me ! and she has so much affection for you that 
she would do anything in the world to serve 
you." But whatever change this was which the 
old woman spoke of, it was not a change of 
heart, for at this very time Bell showed the natu- 
ral aversion of the unrenewed mind when pressed 
on the subject of religion. But efforts for her 
conversion were not always made in vain. " The 
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest 
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it 
Cometh or whither it goeth : so is every one that 
is born of the Spirit." 



APPENDIX. 257 

In an almost unperceived and gradual way 
was the mind of this young person brought under 
the influence of the truth. Her disposition, nat- 
urally steady and unexcitable, did not manifest 
itself in strong feeling when the change took 
place, but in sweet placidity. She could not be 
brought to speak of her feelings; the only an- 
swer I got was a sigh and a look of expressive 
tenderness. It would have been satisfactory to 
have heard from herself some account of the 
dealings of God with her soul. Still the change 
was not the less real, though not expressed in 
words. She no longer sought to avoid the sub- 
ject of religion, no longer shunned the most 
searching questions, but seemed to enjoy the 
quiet hour after the school was dismissed, in 
Hstening with a tearful eye and deeply solemn 
manner to what was addressed to her person- 
ally on the subject of religion. It was at these 
times that the change was most evident. 

Before this, when in company with others, in 
Sabbath school, or at other times, she appeared 
an attentive, if not an interested scholar, but 
could not bear to be taken alone and spoken 
to as a lost sinner. About this time we intro- 
duced a missionary box into the school, and great 
17 



258 APPENDIX. 

was BelPs delight when the children offered will- 
ingly. The little box was productive, and the 
example was followed by other schools in town, 
which added to her interest, and increased her 
solicitude that ours might never be an empty 
box. When missionary papers were read, and 
the subject of missions was brought before the 
scholars, she sometimes got over her usual re- 
serve, and asked interesting questions. Thus 
she went on for several years, growing in knowl- 
edge, and becoming every day more and more 
useful in the school. I now began to give her a 
trifle for her services, and also gave her an oppor- 
tunity of acquiring millinery and dress-making. 

Some time after this, I received a letter from a 
lady, who said that she was Isabella's aunt. She 
thanked me for what I had done for her poor 
niece; had heard that she was a good girl, and 
useful in the school; expressed a desire to see 
her, and to do something for her ; and requested 
that I would send her, without delay, to her house 
in Dunbar. 

As I had never heard of Isabella having any 
relations, this letter surprised me ; and it was with 
a sorrowful heart that I yielded to the superior 
claims of a relation, especially as, on inquiry, I 



APPENDIX. 259 

found that she, and the family into which she had 
married, were irreligious. I trembled for my 
young friend, lest the temptations into which she 
was about to be thrown would be fatal to her 
quiet, retiring piety. Prayer was made for her, 
and we agreed to write each other frequently. 
Tier letters were a great comfort to me. They 
were full of gratitude for kindness received, and 
her pious feelings, though couched in terms of 
caution and modesty, nevertheless evidently pro- 
ceeded from a mind deeply imbued with the 
truth. I was then a Presbyterian, and Isabella 
united herself to the same denomination. After 
her removal to Dunbar, we met frequently at 
sacramental occasions. North Berwick, East 
Linton, &c., were sweet and hallowed spots in 
those days. 

After she had been some time at Dunbar, her 
aunt, to oblige a gentleman's family in the neigh- 
borhood, sent her to be lady's maid to the three 
young ladies, his daughters. This was a new 
scene to her, and temptations of another kind, 
but not less trying, beset her. How she con- 
ducted herself there, and what impression her 
conduct made on the family, shall be given in 
their own words. 



260 APPENDIX. 

I became very anxious to see her, that I might 
judge of her circumstances better than I could 
do by letter. During one of the vacations of 
the school, I visited Dunbar, and from thence 
went to Spott, where Isabella was. As soon as 
it was known in the house that Isabella's friend 
(that was the name by which I was known) was 
there, all the ladies — the mother and her three 
daughters — came and expressed their kindness 
in terms that were quite touching. They said 
that they never had had such a girl in their 
house : her industry and taste, her quiet atten- 
tion to her own duties, and her entire freedom 
from the tittle-tattle, which is so common where 
there are a number of servants together ; and what 
surprised them still more was, although so young, 
she had so much influence in the house, was the 
peace-maker among the other servants; "and 
then," they added, " she is so religiousP They 
concluded by saying, — 

" We will never part with her, never, so long 
as she is willing to stay, and we will make her 
home comfortable." 

What could I say to these things? It did 
seem as if the providence of God had found for 
her a comfortable home, and that she was able to 
maintain her integrity. 



APPENDIX. 261 

But I shall leave Isabella G. diligently pursuing 
her duties at Spott, and introduce you to another 
scholar, also named Isabella. This sweet child 
was altogether different from the former in cir- 
cumstances, in disposition, and in manners, except 
that she was almost as quiet. She also attended 
Sabbath school. It was a pleasure to teach her, 
she was so docile and attentive. She listened to 
religious instruction with evident interest, but 
said nothing on the subject. Her family were 
sceptical and irreligious, and I found that the im- 
pressions made at school, if any were made, would 
soon be all obliterated by the gayety and profanity 
which she saw and heard at home. She contin- 
ued to attend school steadily for a few years, and 
then left it to improve herself in some higher 
branches of study. 

Some time after she left school, when she was 
about fitteen years of age, I was visiting a per- * 
son in sickness, with w^hom I intended to remain 
during the night. Late at night the doctor came 
in. After prescribing for his patient, he turned 
to me, and said, "One of your old scholars, Isa- 
bella H., is dying." I was struck with surprise, 
and inquired into particulars. "O," he said, some- 
what carelessly, " she is a strange girl. If it were 



2(52 APPENDIX. 

possible for her to get better, she would prevent it 
by excessive- talking." I said, " You surprise me, 
doctor; Isabella never was a talker, even in health. 
What does she talk about?" " Why, she talks 
about nothing but religion, and she talks about 
that incessantly." I replied warmly, " I must go 
and see her." " No," he said, " you will only make 
her worse." 

I promised to be very cautious, but intimated 
that I would not be hindered from seeing the 
dear girl. Next morning at seven I called ; but 
what a scene ! Never can I forget that morning. 
She was lying in an upper room, with the win- 
dows wide open for air; her emaciated arms were 
extended towards her mother, who was standing 
at the side of her bed, and she was addressing her 
in tones of earnest expostulation. As soon as I 
entered, she said, still addressing her mother, 
"Miss E. will tell you the same thing. O, moth- 
er! what could the whole world do for me now? 
It could not relieve one pain, nor add one hour 
to my life. I am dying. Were the floor covered 
with gold, and were I the possessor of it all, it 
could not give one comfort. O, mother! attend 
to your never-dying soul. O, prepare for an eter- 
nal world ! Perhaps you expected that I might 



APPENDIX. 263 

live to be a comfort to you, now that father is no 
more; but although so young — only fifteen — I 
shall soon leave you all, and become an inhabitant 
of eternity." Panting for breath, she threw herself 
back upon the bed. She said, " The doctor prom- 
ised to give me something to relieve my breath." 
I said, " Then you are desirous to get well again." 
" No," she said, " no, no ; but he said he could 
relieve me for a little. I so much wish to speak 
about the great things which have come into my 
mind, and there seems so little time, for I shall soon 
be gone." After a short pause, she said, " He is 
not coming ; but O, it is sweet to think that there 
is time in heaven. I will then get out my harp^ 
and sing and speak his praise." I said to her, 
"You must not exhaust yourself by speaking too 
much." " Ah," she said, with a sweet smile, " that 
is what the doctor says ; but never mind that now. 
I am dying, and no quietness of mind can save 
me. I must speak as long as I have breath. O, 
I grieve that I have been so long in beginning." 
I replied, "You never talked of these things at 
school." " No," she said, " but I thought of them, 
when you were reading and explaining the Bible. 
0, what thoughts came into my mind ! But I was 
ashamed to acknowledge them. Yes, it was false 



264 APPENDIX. 

shame that kept me back ; and now I am within 
a few hom'S of eternity, and can I be silent? " 

She then looked steadfastly in my face for a 
moment, and in a most pathetic manner said, 
" But, O, if after all I should be mistaken, and be 
lost forever; if, instead of being received into the 
glorious heaven, I should be thrust down to hell ! " 
Here a groan seemed to convulse her whole frame. 
I said, " My dear Isabella, we never can be wrong 
in applying a scriptural mark. What do you 
think of Christ?" "Think of Christ!" she ex- 
claimed ; " how shall I speak his praise ? It is he 
who has saved my soul from death. It is he who 
has opened my eyes to see my lost condition. It 
is he who has tnade me feel for my dear friends — 
for everybody. O, mother! what should I do now 
without this precious Saviour? Yes, I love him, 
I do love him, and I will soon be with him for- 
ever." 

I sat wondering at the gracious words which 
proceeded from her lips, and said to myself, ' Is 
this the timid, retiring girl that used to shrink 
from the least observation?' Immediately the 
words occurred to my mind, " It is not ye that 
speak, but the Spirit of my Father that speaketh 
in you." Yes, the Spirit of God was there, and 



APPENDIX. 265 

the effects were manifest. Thus she continued to 
talk, and said many touching things which I have 
forgotten. She spoke in such a loud, thrilling, 
and almost unearthly tone of voice, that persons 
passing under the windows were struck with the 
sound, and came into the house to inquire what it 
was. One after another entered the sick room, 
wondering at what they saw and heard. With 
uplifted hands, she exhorted, entreated, and warned 
all of their danger, telhng them to repent in time, 
and turn to God, and in the most expressive 
manner alluded to herself as a sinner, and, accom- 
panying the words with the action of her hand, 
she smote upon her breast, and said, " O that I 
could pull out from the bottom of my heart every 
vestige of sin ! Christ will give me power over it." 
To her own dear relations she spoke in the 
most touching manner. One aunt, in particular, 
who had been much with her, the mother of a 
large family, she entreated to bring up her chil- 
dren in the fear of God, saying, " Do not gratify 
their pride and vanity by dressing them fine, but 
show them that plainness in dress is much more 
becoming, and has much fewer temptations ; and 
O, do not take them to that church (alluding to 
the place of worship where they usually attend- 



266 APPENDIX. 

ed), but take them to hear ministers who care for 
the soul. O, aunt Susan, seek the Lord for your- 
self; otherwise you will never be able to instruct 
your children. Look at me, a poor young crea- 
ture, in dying circumstances. I was too fond of 
dress ; and O, what a bauble it appears now ! " 

She called her brothers, sisters, and cousins, and 
entreated them to be reconciled to God ; and re- 
peating again what she had said about dress, and 
about hearing faithful ministers, she closed by a 
solemn warning not to delay. I left her to at- 
tend to my school duties, with a mind much im- 
pressed with the deep and solemn importance of 
bringing the dear youth under my care to Christ. 
I devoted part of the day to call their attention 
to the dying scene I had just witnessed : my own 
heart was touched, and it is probable that I urged 
the claims of the Saviour with more than usual 
earnestness. Some wept, and one dear little girl 
could not dry her tears; sympathy for Isabella 
was lost in deep concern for her own soul. But 
this I knew not, and was not aware that the arrow 
of conviction had reached the heart of one of the 
little lambs of Christ's flock. Alter I dismissed 
the school, I sent to inquire for the dear sufferer, 
and to say that it would give me pleasure to sit 



APPENDIX. 267 

up with her during the night. But she needed 
no more watching: she had gone to her Father's 
house, there to burst forth in eternal praises to 
Him who had redeemed her from her sins in his 
own blood. During the day, feeling herself 
growing weaker, she sent for the aunt she so 
much loved. She said, "lam going; my hands 
and feet are cold, and my eyelids are cold and 
stiff. Are not these signs of death ? Do, dear 
aunt, close my eyes, and I will wait so sweetly 
till the dear Lord Jesus comes and fetches me to 
himself. She shortly after breathed her last. A 
deep sensation was felt, not only in the family, but 
also in the neighborhood. Her funeral was nu- 
merously attended; many were drawn to pay 
the last tribute of respect to one who had left 
such a striking testimony to the power of the 
gospel. 

There was in my school at this time a very lit- 
tle girl, the daughter of an officer who had retired 
on half pay. This unfortunate man was killed in 
a neighboring town, whether intentionally or by 
accident was never known. This affecting provi- 
dence was blessed to his wife, who became de- 
cidedly pious. She placed her little girl with me, 
and expressed anxiety for her soul. She hoped I 



268 ' APPENDIX. 

would be faithful, and not spare the rod when it 
was necessary ; for although her daughter was lit- 
tle more than five years of age, she had a very 
high and unyielding temper. I was surprised at 
the remarks her mother made of so young a child ; 
but I soon found that she had a temper that re- 
quired firmness and care. I was often grieved 
with her obstinacy, and nothing subdued her but 
chastisement. She kept up the contest for some 
time, but afterwards yielded to authority. Every 
Saturday morning was devoted to religious in- 
stfuction, as I was anxious to reach those who 
did not attend Sabbath school. One Saturday 
morning, after Miss Hamilton's death, I was talk- 
ing to the little ones, when I observed the little 
girl's eye glisten, and a look of anxious interest 
brighten up her countenance ; but she was a little 
one^ and I did not expect to make any impression 
on her, and thought no more about it. Monday 
came, but Catharine — that was the little girl's 
name — did not appear. As she was remarkably 
regular, I was apprehensive that something seri- 
ous had detained her. I called in the evening to 
inquire for her, and found her mother in tears. 

" I shall lose my daughter," she said, tenderly. 
I inquired the cause of her anxiety. She said 



APPENDIX. 269 

"The circumstances of only the last two days 
have painfully impressed my mind with the prob- 
ability of this fear being realized. On Satur- 
day, after C. came from school, she was playing 
with her little brother on the carpet, while I was 
at work at the window. All at once she stopped, 
and said, ' Alexander, it is better to sing than to 
play.' The little boy said, ' But I canV She 
began herself, and sang sweetly, — 

* When all thy mercies, my God, 

My rising soul surveys, 
Transported with the view, I'm- lost 

In wonder, love, and praise. 
To all my weak complaints and cries 

Thy mercy lent an ear. 
Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learned 

To form themselves in prayer.' " 

Her mother wondered very much where she had 
learned this tune and hymn. She said at school, 
and added, " I love it much." After talking a lit- 
tle while with her brother about being good, she 
went to visit a young companion, with whom she 
had gathered shells at the sea-side. She gave her 
little friend all her shells, saying, " I shall not need 
these; I don't wish to play any more ; I want to 
go to heaven." She went to bed, that evening, 
apparently in her usual health. About midnight 



270 APPENDIX. 

her mother, perceiving that she was awake, said, 
" Catharine, are you not well, that you cannot 
sleep?" " O, yes, mamma, but I was praying to 
God." " What were you praying for ? " "A new 
heart ; for Miss E. said that if we did not get a 
new heart, we could not go to heaven; and I want 
to go to heaven." Her mother asked her if she 
thought that God would give her a new heart. 
" Yes," she said, " for God has promised it." In 
the morning, when she rose to be dressed, she 
complained of headache. Her mother hoped that 
it was only the restlessness and want of sleep of 
the past night, and went to church without her. 
An impressive sermon was preached from the 
text, " We all do fade as a leaf^" in which the 
shortness of life was strikingly illustrated. In the 
course of the sermon she became painfully im- 
pressed with the fear of losing her daughter. 

On her return she found Catharine much worse, 
and sent for the doctor, who, as soon as he saw 
the symptoms, pronounced the disease water on 
the brain. She lingered in great pain nearly three 
weeks. During this time I was much with her, 
and saw in her altered temper much that en- 
couraged me to hope that she was the subject of 
regenerating grace. Her willingness to take med- 



APPENDIX. 271 

icine, her patience under her sufferings, and the 
sweet serenity that sat on her countenance, were 
all so different from the usual manifestations of 
her disposition, that I could not but wonder at 
the change. One night I sat up with her: she 
seemed pleased to have me near her, took her 
medicine, and seemed to wish to say something. 
To my question, "How are you, my dear?" she 
said. "Very ill." I replied, "Do you know that 
you are dying?" "Yes," she said, "I am going 
to heaven." I said, " How do you know? " She 
replied, "Jesus said, ' Suffer little children to come 
unto me.'" "But," said I, " what will you do in 
heaven ? " "I will sing pretty psalms and prais- 
es." " What will you sing ? " "I will sing, — 

* When all thy mercies, O my God,' " &c. 

I said again, "But your mamma is very sorry to 
lose you." " O, but you and mamma will soon 
come to heaven : vou will both come, and I will 
come jumping to the gate to meet you ; and O, so 
happy as we shall be ! " After a short pause, she 
cried, " O, my head ! " and spoke no more intel- 
ligibly. She was buried on her fifth birthday. 
When I saw her carried to her long home, these 
words occurred with power to my mind : " In the 



272 APPENDIX. 

morning sow thy seed, and in the evening with- 
hold not thine hand." 

Isabella's death, and then little Catharine's, gave 
a fresh impulse to my desires for benefiting the 
young ; and when I thought of the thousands 
and tens of thousands who were perishing for lack 
of knowledge, my soul longed to go forth to warn 
them of their danger, and bring them to Christ. 
In those days of youthful activity and ardent hopes, 
any sacrifice would willingly have been made, and 
any difficulty surmounted, to be in the least de- 
gree instrumental in bringing in some poor lost 
lamb, wandering in error and superstition on some 
distant mountains; but how was this to be done ? 
At that early period of missions in Scotland, it 
was thought chimerical and enthusiastic for a 
single female to embark in this cause. I did not 
even dare give expression to my wishes, but 
prayed that God would be the breaker up of my 
way. Years passed, and changes took place ; but 
I never lost sight of this great object; and O, it 
was a happy day when your father and I left 
Leith harbor for London, in order to make prep- 
arations for going abroad. 



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